A Gentle Reminder on Valentine's Day

Today was a good day. RJ made it another five nights in his own bed and earned another trip to mommy's treasure chest. He picked Buzz Lightyear and is planning on reuniting Woody with his old pal just as soon as another five nights go by.  This whole bedtime routine is really working for me. RJ likes feeling big. "Mommy," he asked me one night, peering into his sissy's room, "Can you get me a drink of water?" I promptly reminded him that he has a cup and a sink at his disposal. "Oh, I didn't realize that was available for me," he told me. Sometimes he's more 40 than 4. I have to pass along my dad's wisdom, "Short time to be a kid, long time to be an adult. Enjoy being a kid."

I love Valentine's Day. I know it's a Hallmark holiday, and retailers use it to make us feel guilty so that we'll spend more on useless pink cuteness, but I still love it. It's the one time a year I can make heart shaped cakes, sprinkle glitter stickers liberally on all correspondence, and wear pink heart barrettes in my hair. I love the nostalgia of the class parties. Candy hearts, paper mail boxes, and mylar balloons. I love the chance to see inside RJ's world--the chart tracking how many stars he has earned; the dump trucks he and his friends fight over; and this gentle reminder:

When I graduated from law school, a judge asked me where I was headed to work. I told her, and I think of her response often: "Do good work." I knew she meant, "do your best work;" "be ethical;" "be courteous;" and "be an asset to the profession." In other words, do your best. Do the right thing. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. I did my best to follow my dad's advice. I stretched my childhood as far as it would go (and I still find that there are few troubles so big that an hour with a coloring book and a new box of Crayons can't ease). But, I am undeniably a grown-up. So, it's easy to forget to do my best, to do the right thing, and to treat everyone the same way I want to be treated.  On this Valentine's Day, I appreciated the gentle nudge from RJ's teacher. But mostly, I just appreciated the day to spend with my babies. 

RJ appreciated the cupcakes, cookies, and candy followed by barbecue for lunch.  I had a very sleepy boy on the way home. He was spent. And happy. (And, yes, that's a Lightening McQueen tattoo on his arm. It comes off with baby oil and will continue to be the only kind of tattoo he'll ever be allowed.).

She thinks her hair clippies are hats, and she feels very Downton Abbey in them.  (Her grandma made her adorable tunic top; I think she feels quite pretty.). 

And best of all, they remembered to treat each other they way they want to be treated. They love each other, but it's easy for them to forget or take each other for granted (the same, I suppose, as it is for us grown-ups.).  Today was a good day. We did our best. We tried to do the right thing. We hugged each other a little more than usual because we knew that's what we wanted for ourselves too. Hugs, snuggles, and lollipop kisses--a very good day indeed. Happy Valentine's Day!