Valentine's Day Bath

Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day!" quite like a three-and-a-half year old crapping his pants and and apologizing "because I was playing too hard," trying to clean it up himself "because I'm a big boy, Mama!" And then having to spend your morning disinfecting the entire bathroom because, honestly, his idea of cleanliness just doesn't cut it.

Oh, and I stepped in some poo.  Barefoot.

I love my kid.  I love my life.  But seriously?  Wtf?!

Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day!" quite like a three-and-a-half year old crapping his pants and and apologizing "because I was playing too hard," trying to clean it up himself "because I'm a big boy, Mama!" And then having to spend your morning disinfecting the entire bathroom because, honestly, his idea of cleanliness just doesn't cut it.

Oh, and I stepped in some poo.  Barefoot.

I love my kid.  I love my life.  But seriously?  Wtf?!

What does the fox say? {14 Days of Valentines: 2014 Edition}

When it comes to holiday gift-giving, I think everyone has their favorite time of year. When we lived in Kansas City and my husband had a job that allowed us more flexibility around the holidays, my mother-in-law loved to fill Christmas socks with special things that were unique to each of us. We'd open them on Christmas morning under her tree - showers not necessary, coffee a plus - little things that she'd picked up throughout the year.  These socks could include any number of items: socks (I know, the irony!), our favorite candy, a CD, small bottles of booze that you get on airplanes.  You never knew what you'd be surprised with on Christmas morning.  One year I got pajamas - honest to God, blue satin pj's stuffed into my Christmas sock.

Some people really like Easter, and I'll admit, I like to fill Easter baskets for my kid's, too - colored eggs, malted milk ball eggs, peeps and a hollow chocolate bunny, a kite (although we should all disregard the fact that Finn's kite still sits unopened in our coat closet...maybe this spring we'll get around to pulling that thing out. Or maybe I'll just re-gift it back to him at Easter this year.  He's 3, he'll never know and I'll have saved myself $5.).  Whatever the holiday - Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Arbor Day - I always give my kids a book.  I like to give books as gifts.  You can never have too many books.  Until, of course, you move and half your moving van is boxes of books and those boxes are really heavy and your husband threatens to burn them if you don't whittle down your "collection" only he uses words like: "hoarder" and "obsessive" and "certifiable."  You know, really hurtful words. 

Anyway...I like Valentine's Day. A lot. A really lot. I love to come up with an idea and then find a little gift for my small humans for each of the days leading up to Valentine's Day because I don't love them enough the rest of the year, apparently. 2012 was the inaugural year.  Finn had no idea what was going on, being 1-1/2 and all, but he drank his apple juice and ate his teddy grahams happily.  Abby thought it was pretty cool and was excited most mornings to see what her small gift was and then telling us over dinner how excited she was to get her small gift, so I like to think we coasted in with a win, especially since I flew by the seat of my pants that year. Then last year I felt as though I should take it up a notch.  I'm hopeful I didn't peak too soon, because last year was so much fun to plan. 

This year I struggled a bit and enlisted the help of my (somewhat non-creative) husband.  At first I thought maybe we'd do 14 days of Love Song lyrics, but scraped that idea when I realized the only songs Finn knows are Wagon Wheel and T-Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. And also, my husband couldn't contribute any good love songs...a quick google search of Celine Dion is all it would have taken, obviously. Reference: Titanic theme song.  The Power of Love. Because You Loved Me. And about a million more chart toppers than Whitney ever had.

And then the light bulb went of in my otherwise dark mind.  Finn does know another song.  He knows that stupid fox song that is all the rage on YouTube. And it occurred to me that we could totally do that for a theme with all kinds of animals for each of our days.  And then it occurred to me that we could totally get a real dog for the "What does the dog say?" day. I almost peed my pants from canine-procurement-excitement. I looked on the world wide interwebs for the perfect addition to our family (one that didn't cost $1800; I knew my husband would throw up in his mouth if I suggested that dog. In its defense, it was cute and it came with "real genuine papers suitable for framing," so I guess that justified the cost.).  I made lists of doggy items needed. I even gave our new almost-dog a name! And then my husband said no and my hopes and dreams were burst like a hot dog in the microwave.  As it stands, he didn't say no-forever, he just said no-for-right-now; nobody wants to potty train a dog in Northern Minnesota in February.  Valid point, Mr. Hefter.  We shall wait until spring (maybe).

So here are this year's 14 Days of Valentine's (minus the climactic Get A Real Dog Day) in no particular order, because mostly, I still have to go to Target (and probably the Shopko) to procure a few extra items.

• Zebra: "Our love is not black and white, Valentine...it's read all over!" {books about love}
• Elephant:  "I"m nuts about you, Valentine!" {Peanut m&m's}
• Cow: "Will you be my mooost special Valentine?" {Chocolate milk for breakfast}
• Bear: "I love you beary much, Valentine!" {Teddy Grahams}
• Worm: "You wormed your way into my heart, Valentine!" {socks}
• Unicorn:  "Valentine, you make every day magical!" {Sprakly pencils & crayons}
• Chick: "Why did the chicken cross the road? To ask you to be mine, Valentine!" {chicken nuggets}
• Fish: "I'm hooked on you, Valentine!" {Goldfish crackers}
• Bee: "Just buzzed by to see if you'd be my honey, Valentine!" {Honey Nut Cheerios}
• Dog:  "What we have is puppy love, Valentine!" {Puppy Chow}
• Seahorse:  "Sea how much I love you, Valentine?" {bubble bath & body wash}
• Sheep: "You can count on me for sweet dreams, Valentine!" {new jammies}
• Moose:  "You make moosest days fabulous, Valentine!"  {Moose Tracks ice cream}
• Fox: "Happy Valentine's Day!" {new Valentine's Day shirts}

When it comes to holiday gift-giving, I think everyone has their favorite time of year. When we lived in Kansas City and my husband had a job that allowed us more flexibility around the holidays, my mother-in-law loved to fill Christmas socks with special things that were unique to each of us. We'd open them on Christmas morning under her tree - showers not necessary, coffee a plus - little things that she'd picked up throughout the year.  These socks could include any number of items: socks (I know, the irony!), our favorite candy, a CD, small bottles of booze that you get on airplanes.  You never knew what you'd be surprised with on Christmas morning.  One year I got pajamas - honest to God, blue satin pj's stuffed into my Christmas sock.

Some people really like Easter, and I'll admit, I like to fill Easter baskets for my kid's, too - colored eggs, malted milk ball eggs, peeps and a hollow chocolate bunny, a kite (although we should all disregard the fact that Finn's kite still sits unopened in our coat closet...maybe this spring we'll get around to pulling that thing out. Or maybe I'll just re-gift it back to him at Easter this year.  He's 3, he'll never know and I'll have saved myself $5.).  Whatever the holiday - Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Arbor Day - I always give my kids a book.  I like to give books as gifts.  You can never have too many books.  Until, of course, you move and half your moving van is boxes of books and those boxes are really heavy and your husband threatens to burn them if you don't whittle down your "collection" only he uses words like: "hoarder" and "obsessive" and "certifiable."  You know, really hurtful words. 

Anyway...I like Valentine's Day. A lot. A really lot. I love to come up with an idea and then find a little gift for my small humans for each of the days leading up to Valentine's Day because I don't love them enough the rest of the year, apparently. 2012 was the inaugural year.  Finn had no idea what was going on, being 1-1/2 and all, but he drank his apple juice and ate his teddy grahams happily.  Abby thought it was pretty cool and was excited most mornings to see what her small gift was and then telling us over dinner how excited she was to get her small gift, so I like to think we coasted in with a win, especially since I flew by the seat of my pants that year. Then last year I felt as though I should take it up a notch.  I'm hopeful I didn't peak too soon, because last year was so much fun to plan. 

This year I struggled a bit and enlisted the help of my (somewhat non-creative) husband.  At first I thought maybe we'd do 14 days of Love Song lyrics, but scraped that idea when I realized the only songs Finn knows are Wagon Wheel and T-Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. And also, my husband couldn't contribute any good love songs...a quick google search of Celine Dion is all it would have taken, obviously. Reference: Titanic theme song.  The Power of Love. Because You Loved Me. And about a million more chart toppers than Whitney ever had.

And then the light bulb went of in my otherwise dark mind.  Finn does know another song.  He knows that stupid fox song that is all the rage on YouTube. And it occurred to me that we could totally do that for a theme with all kinds of animals for each of our days.  And then it occurred to me that we could totally get a real dog for the "What does the dog say?" day. I almost peed my pants from canine-procurement-excitement. I looked on the world wide interwebs for the perfect addition to our family (one that didn't cost $1800; I knew my husband would throw up in his mouth if I suggested that dog. In its defense, it was cute and it came with "real genuine papers suitable for framing," so I guess that justified the cost.).  I made lists of doggy items needed. I even gave our new almost-dog a name! And then my husband said no and my hopes and dreams were burst like a hot dog in the microwave.  As it stands, he didn't say no-forever, he just said no-for-right-now; nobody wants to potty train a dog in Northern Minnesota in February.  Valid point, Mr. Hefter.  We shall wait until spring (maybe).

So here are this year's 14 Days of Valentine's (minus the climactic Get A Real Dog Day) in no particular order, because mostly, I still have to go to Target (and probably the Shopko) to procure a few extra items.

• Zebra: "Our love is not black and white, Valentine...it's read all over!" {books about love}
• Elephant:  "I"m nuts about you, Valentine!" {Peanut m&m's}
• Cow: "Will you be my mooost special Valentine?" {Chocolate milk for breakfast}
• Bear: "I love you beary much, Valentine!" {Teddy Grahams}
• Worm: "You wormed your way into my heart, Valentine!" {socks}
• Unicorn:  "Valentine, you make every day magical!" {Sprakly pencils & crayons}
• Chick: "Why did the chicken cross the road? To ask you to be mine, Valentine!" {chicken nuggets}
• Fish: "I'm hooked on you, Valentine!" {Goldfish crackers}
• Bee: "Just buzzed by to see if you'd be my honey, Valentine!" {Honey Nut Cheerios}
• Dog:  "What we have is puppy love, Valentine!" {Puppy Chow}
• Seahorse:  "Sea how much I love you, Valentine?" {bubble bath & body wash}
• Sheep: "You can count on me for sweet dreams, Valentine!" {new jammies}
• Moose:  "You make moosest days fabulous, Valentine!"  {Moose Tracks ice cream}
• Fox: "Happy Valentine's Day!" {new Valentine's Day shirts}

I'll eat you up...I love you so!

 

 

Mighty Big Love

I have been loving these 14 Days of Valentine's.  All right, mostly, I've been loving them.  I tried to make them as simple as I could (sometimes I have mighty big ideas) and I tried to be as prepared as I could.  I'm sometimes a really huge a procrastinator (as evidenced by every single college paper I ever had to write).

I let Abby loose in the kitchen on Sunday afternoon in an attempt to practice giving up some control (me) and for some baking practice (Abby).  She made chocolate cupcakes and then I made pink and purple frosting for her and Finn to decorate their cupcakes with (Yes, I made the frosting.  I said I was practicing giving up some control).  It kept them busy during our 8 plus inches of snow storm.  Okay, so Finn ate more frosting than he actually used on his cupcakes and they both went a little overboard with the sprinkles, and Abby was right there with him, surreptitiously eating spoonfuls of frosting when she thought I wasn't looking.  And I wasn't looking because I was eating spoonfuls of frosting when they weren't looking.  It was good frosting.

Finn and I (mostly me) made Valentine's for his once-a-week preschool class.  Damn Pinterest for giving me holiday celebration ideas that my inner Martha Stewart feels an overwhelming need to act on (see every Elf on the Shelf idea that I had and 14 Day's of Valentine's for two years as evidence).  Let's all be thankful I decided to forego the 40 Days of Lent Countdown, since that really isn't so much of a celebration and actually would probably be considered a tad sacrilegious by some of the more devout.  I'll save my spring thing for Easter instead, since that actually is something to celebrate (complete with dyed Easter eggs, and this year, chocolate filled eggs made with real shells.  Because I want to, that's why.).

Happy Valentine's Eve (not a real holiday to celebrate, but I don't care!).

I have been loving these 14 Days of Valentine's.  All right, mostly, I've been loving them.  I tried to make them as simple as I could (sometimes I have mighty big ideas) and I tried to be as prepared as I could.  I'm sometimes a really huge a procrastinator (as evidenced by every single college paper I ever had to write).

I let Abby loose in the kitchen on Sunday afternoon in an attempt to practice giving up some control (me) and for some baking practice (Abby).  She made chocolate cupcakes and then I made pink and purple frosting for her and Finn to decorate their cupcakes with (Yes, I made the frosting.  I said I was practicing giving up some control).  It kept them busy during our 8 plus inches of snow storm.  Okay, so Finn ate more frosting than he actually used on his cupcakes and they both went a little overboard with the sprinkles, and Abby was right there with him, surreptitiously eating spoonfuls of frosting when she thought I wasn't looking.  And I wasn't looking because I was eating spoonfuls of frosting when they weren't looking.  It was good frosting.

Finn and I (mostly me) made Valentine's for his once-a-week preschool class.  Damn Pinterest for giving me holiday celebration ideas that my inner Martha Stewart feels an overwhelming need to act on (see every Elf on the Shelf idea that I had and 14 Day's of Valentine's for two years as evidence).  Let's all be thankful I decided to forego the 40 Days of Lent Countdown, since that really isn't so much of a celebration and actually would probably be considered a tad sacrilegious by some of the more devout.  I'll save my spring thing for Easter instead, since that actually is something to celebrate (complete with dyed Easter eggs, and this year, chocolate filled eggs made with real shells.  Because I want to, that's why.).

Happy Valentine's Eve (not a real holiday to celebrate, but I don't care!).

I love you like fat kids love cake {14 Days of Valentines}

I am kind of a lazy mom.  I like to do fun things for my small humans, but I sometimes mostly lack the follow-through to get it done.  I managed to pull off 24 days of Elf on the Shelf this past Christmas, thanks in part to the calendar I made when I was feeling really "Super-Mom-This-Is-Going-To-Be-SO-AWESOME-How-My-Kids-Will-Adore-Me" about it.  I lost steam half-way through but totally pulled it off for the big win at the end.  I'm classy like that.  And also, Uriah helped.

Last year I wanted to do 14 Days of Valentines, something small each morning when the kids woke up to let them know they are special and we love them.  They are special and we love them 365 days a year, but those days they get things like, dinner and, you know, electricity as tokens of our undying love for them.  Finn didn't get it last year (much like the our elf, Reginald VanWinkle this past Christmas) but it was fun for me and I've come to the realization lately that as long as whatever scheme I've cooked up for them is fun for me, I don't really care if they get the full meaning behind what I'm doing.  They will someday.  And then they will shout from the rooftops how great a childhood they had (now they're just annoyed that I make them shovel snow and pee in the potty, so I think that revelation of my awesomeness is a long way off.  I can wait.).

This year our 14 Days of Valentines theme (yes, there is a theme.  Martha Stweart is my Godmother.) is We Go Together like [fill in the blank here 14 times]...  and I must say, I think it's a genius move on my part.

Finn and I are headed to Duluth tomorrow because let's face it, it's already noon, so today is shot as far as heading into the big city goes, and I'm pretty sure most of what I want can't be procured at the ShopKo-Formerly-Pamida.  While I had this great idea a few weeks ago, I failed on the follow-through (big surprise) and now we are going to have scramble tomorrow to get our Valentine's printed and buy some stuff (like socks and underwear).

So even if our Valentine tomorrow shows up at dinner instead of breakfast, I'm happy and that's all that matters.  And 351 days of showing them love with running water will resume sooner than they think, anyway!

**EDIT:  My Dad emailed me earlier; I think he thought all those college dollars he spent were wasted money.  There are only 13 Valentines here because on Valentine's Day we go all Hallmark on our small humans and get them real, fancy cards.  I also get them a new shirt to wear on Valentine's Day - cheesy pink with hearts and sparkles and kitties and unicorns.  Finn's usually says "I love my Mommy," for obvious reasons.

I am kind of a lazy mom.  I like to do fun things for my small humans, but I sometimes mostly lack the follow-through to get it done.  I managed to pull off 24 days of Elf on the Shelf this past Christmas, thanks in part to the calendar I made when I was feeling really "Super-Mom-This-Is-Going-To-Be-SO-AWESOME-How-My-Kids-Will-Adore-Me" about it.  I lost steam half-way through but totally pulled it off for the big win at the end.  I'm classy like that.  And also, Uriah helped.

Last year I wanted to do 14 Days of Valentines, something small each morning when the kids woke up to let them know they are special and we love them.  They are special and we love them 365 days a year, but those days they get things like, dinner and, you know, electricity as tokens of our undying love for them.  Finn didn't get it last year (much like the our elf, Reginald VanWinkle this past Christmas) but it was fun for me and I've come to the realization lately that as long as whatever scheme I've cooked up for them is fun for me, I don't really care if they get the full meaning behind what I'm doing.  They will someday.  And then they will shout from the rooftops how great a childhood they had (now they're just annoyed that I make them shovel snow and pee in the potty, so I think that revelation of my awesomeness is a long way off.  I can wait.).

This year our 14 Days of Valentines theme (yes, there is a theme.  Martha Stweart is my Godmother.) is We Go Together like [fill in the blank here 14 times]...  and I must say, I think it's a genius move on my part.

Finn and I are headed to Duluth tomorrow because let's face it, it's already noon, so today is shot as far as heading into the big city goes, and I'm pretty sure most of what I want can't be procured at the ShopKo-Formerly-Pamida.  While I had this great idea a few weeks ago, I failed on the follow-through (big surprise) and now we are going to have scramble tomorrow to get our Valentine's printed and buy some stuff (like socks and underwear).

So even if our Valentine tomorrow shows up at dinner instead of breakfast, I'm happy and that's all that matters.  And 351 days of showing them love with running water will resume sooner than they think, anyway!

**EDIT:  My Dad emailed me earlier; I think he thought all those college dollars he spent were wasted money.  There are only 13 Valentines here because on Valentine's Day we go all Hallmark on our small humans and get them real, fancy cards.  I also get them a new shirt to wear on Valentine's Day - cheesy pink with hearts and sparkles and kitties and unicorns.  Finn's usually says "I love my Mommy," for obvious reasons.

Becoming a "yes" mom.

Cabin fever has been setting in - it's been cold and rainy and a little snowy - which means time outside is limited.  I can only take so much soulful guitar playing/singing from Abby's room and "Let's play trains together, Mama." from Finn before I want to scream.  So yesterday after lunch, as the snow was swirling like a snow globe outside, I pulled out the red and pink and purple paper, the glue sticks and markers, crayons and paints.  I spread everything over the kitchen table and challenged my children to make some creative Valentine's for their cousins (and the hound/kitty cousins, too.).  It was a painty, markery, gluey mess.  I hyperventilation 12 times.

They loved it.

It occurred to me as I was wiping Finn's fingers that they were just going to get paint on them again, so why bother.  It occurred to me that I don't need to micro-manage Abby's Valentine making - I don't need to offer suggestions, she's creative enough on her own.  I realized that I need to be more of a "Let's make a mess" mom.  I need to say yes more and no less.  Abby's constantly asking for artsy projects to do and all I ever see is the huge mess it's going to make and how to keep Finn occupied while she does whatever it is she wants to do or how to amend a project so that Finn can do it, too.  And so I usually end up just saying no.  But I need to remind myself -  even if it's every single day - that it's okay to have paint on shirts and markers on cheeks and scraps of paper all over the floor.  It's okay to let Finn practice with the scissors and to let him taste the crayons.  It's okay to give Abby some creative freedom to express herself, even if that expression includes playing with the sewing machine or Picasso-ing her way to some artwork for her wall.

It's okay to make a mess.
Being the yes mom?  That makes for really happy kids.

Cabin fever has been setting in - it's been cold and rainy and a little snowy - which means time outside is limited.  I can only take so much soulful guitar playing/singing from Abby's room and "Let's play trains together, Mama." from Finn before I want to scream.  So yesterday after lunch, as the snow was swirling like a snow globe outside, I pulled out the red and pink and purple paper, the glue sticks and markers, crayons and paints.  I spread everything over the kitchen table and challenged my children to make some creative Valentine's for their cousins (and the hound/kitty cousins, too.).  It was a painty, markery, gluey mess.  I hyperventilation 12 times.

They loved it.

It occurred to me as I was wiping Finn's fingers that they were just going to get paint on them again, so why bother.  It occurred to me that I don't need to micro-manage Abby's Valentine making - I don't need to offer suggestions, she's creative enough on her own.  I realized that I need to be more of a "Let's make a mess" mom.  I need to say yes more and no less.  Abby's constantly asking for artsy projects to do and all I ever see is the huge mess it's going to make and how to keep Finn occupied while she does whatever it is she wants to do or how to amend a project so that Finn can do it, too.  And so I usually end up just saying no.  But I need to remind myself -  even if it's every single day - that it's okay to have paint on shirts and markers on cheeks and scraps of paper all over the floor.  It's okay to let Finn practice with the scissors and to let him taste the crayons.  It's okay to give Abby some creative freedom to express herself, even if that expression includes playing with the sewing machine or Picasso-ing her way to some artwork for her wall.

It's okay to make a mess.
Being the yes mom?  That makes for really happy kids.

All you need is love.

Earlier in the week I asked Uriah if he'd been wishing for anything in particular (secretly hoping he'd say Girl Scout cookies so that I could try out the Thin Mint recipe that I found.).  He said plain old Rice Krispie Treats.  Nothing fancy...Scotcharoos were out because he doesn't like peanut butter, just some butter, marshmallows, and rice krispies.  All I could think was boring.  I've tried to limit my baking to once a week (that includes bread, quick breads, muffins, cookies...I feel as though my creativity in the kitchen is being stifled and Beverly is going to find someone new to be her BFF.).  In reality, cakes and cookies are not conducive to loosing weight, I get that.  But I like the creative outlet that baking provides, and I love my husband, so I acquiesced to plain old, dull Rice Krispie Treats.

Or not...

I have this minor flaw in that I'm very OCD when I cook and I don't like people (side eye to Uriah and Abby) getting up in my business before I'm completely finished.  Unfortunately for Uriah and Abby, they decided to eat the rice krispie scraps as I was cutting out the hearts, which irritated the love right out of me.  I scolded.  I reprimanded.  To no avail.  So I told them that if they wanted to eat the hearts, and coincidentally,  the rest of the scraps, they had to list all of the reasons they love me - and it had to be heartfelt.  And the list had to be long.

Or I would let Finn eat the entire pan of rice krispie treats - hearts, scraps and all.

Let me tell you, what started out as kind of a joke, turned out to be a really warm and fuzzy moment.  Sometimes we forget how much we mean to people; and sometimes we forget to tell the ones we love how much they mean to us.  My heart felt a little bit fuller after hearing them list the things that they love about me.  And I think it helped to show them that maybe they've taken for granted some of the stuff that I do for them out of love.  Do I like folding underwear and socks?  No, but I do it because I love them and I don't want them to be the stinky ones at school and work.  Do I like to vacuum the floors?  No, but I do it because I love Finn and I don't want him to pick up random "snacks" off the floor and choke.

Abby said she loves me because I make her do things that she doesn't want to do and then it turns out in her favor in the end (she didn't want to do a list of chores on her snow day on Friday, but she got to go to a movie and a sleep over because they were all done when I got home from work.).  I guess that's all a parent can ask for...the light bulb to go off in their kid's head once in awhile.  And to be present to see it shine.

Uriah's was pretty simple:  he loves me because I make him laugh.  And I love him for the same reason.  And also because he usually takes the morning shift with Finn because he knows how much I hate morning.

I'm going to try to do something sweet for my loves in February during the days leading up to Valentine's Day, and the days after it, too.  I'm currently scouring Pinterest for ideas.  If you have any good ones, I'd love for you to share.  Just drop a note in the comments section about something romantic/loving you've done for someone  or something someone has done for you (and it doesn't have to be limited to just Valentine's Day, either!).

Earlier in the week I asked Uriah if he'd been wishing for anything in particular (secretly hoping he'd say Girl Scout cookies so that I could try out the Thin Mint recipe that I found.).  He said plain old Rice Krispie Treats.  Nothing fancy...Scotcharoos were out because he doesn't like peanut butter, just some butter, marshmallows, and rice krispies.  All I could think was boring.  I've tried to limit my baking to once a week (that includes bread, quick breads, muffins, cookies...I feel as though my creativity in the kitchen is being stifled and Beverly is going to find someone new to be her BFF.).  In reality, cakes and cookies are not conducive to loosing weight, I get that.  But I like the creative outlet that baking provides, and I love my husband, so I acquiesced to plain old, dull Rice Krispie Treats.

Or not...

I have this minor flaw in that I'm very OCD when I cook and I don't like people (side eye to Uriah and Abby) getting up in my business before I'm completely finished.  Unfortunately for Uriah and Abby, they decided to eat the rice krispie scraps as I was cutting out the hearts, which irritated the love right out of me.  I scolded.  I reprimanded.  To no avail.  So I told them that if they wanted to eat the hearts, and coincidentally,  the rest of the scraps, they had to list all of the reasons they love me - and it had to be heartfelt.  And the list had to be long.

Or I would let Finn eat the entire pan of rice krispie treats - hearts, scraps and all.

Let me tell you, what started out as kind of a joke, turned out to be a really warm and fuzzy moment.  Sometimes we forget how much we mean to people; and sometimes we forget to tell the ones we love how much they mean to us.  My heart felt a little bit fuller after hearing them list the things that they love about me.  And I think it helped to show them that maybe they've taken for granted some of the stuff that I do for them out of love.  Do I like folding underwear and socks?  No, but I do it because I love them and I don't want them to be the stinky ones at school and work.  Do I like to vacuum the floors?  No, but I do it because I love Finn and I don't want him to pick up random "snacks" off the floor and choke.

Abby said she loves me because I make her do things that she doesn't want to do and then it turns out in her favor in the end (she didn't want to do a list of chores on her snow day on Friday, but she got to go to a movie and a sleep over because they were all done when I got home from work.).  I guess that's all a parent can ask for...the light bulb to go off in their kid's head once in awhile.  And to be present to see it shine.

Uriah's was pretty simple:  he loves me because I make him laugh.  And I love him for the same reason.  And also because he usually takes the morning shift with Finn because he knows how much I hate morning.

I'm going to try to do something sweet for my loves in February during the days leading up to Valentine's Day, and the days after it, too.  I'm currently scouring Pinterest for ideas.  If you have any good ones, I'd love for you to share.  Just drop a note in the comments section about something romantic/loving you've done for someone  or something someone has done for you (and it doesn't have to be limited to just Valentine's Day, either!).