Will You Be My Valentine?

We survived the snow-in and got ready for Valentine's Day in one foul swoop.  As I blogged about the snow, Trey was about as close to climbing the walls as you could get.  Yes, he has a box on his head.

 Nothing better than grilling in the snow.

I had one last trick in my pocket and that was to make Valentine's Day cookies.  We have a family recipe for sugar cookies that I love (Trey might love it more), and making cookies and decorating them is about as crafty as I get for holidays.

We also had to get ready for Trey's Valentine's Day party.  Last year we had only been at this daycare/preschool for 1.5 months when Valentine's Day rolled around, and I asked, "So do people do crafty stuff on holidays or just bring store bought stuff?"  "Just store bought stuff," I was assured.  BIG FAT LIE.  I think Trey was the only one who didn't add something to the V Day card that the kids gave out (store bought or not).  I was not going to make the same mistake again.  We put together our Valentine's Day goodies during the snow-in, and when Trey brought home his bag of loot from the party, I was impressed that I was on the right side of the bell curve this time with my contribution.

This kid was almost happier about his Valentine's Day

 sweets and treats than his Halloween candy.

I got to spend an evening with Grady and Case, and I took Trey along to help me babysit.  I love watching these boys together, and I know it will only get to be more fun.

I just finished reading Kelly Corrigan's newest book called Glitter and Glue.  It was one of a few books that I eagerly awaited and bought on the actual release date.  I also saved it to read because I didn't want it to be over.  Then, of course, once I started it, I finished it in four days.

Did you read the Middle Place?  It was about Corrigan and her relationship with her father in the midst of their battle with cancer.  This one was more about her relationship with her mom.  I started to cry on page one.  I was a little nervous about how the 222 page book would go, but I only cried steadily for the first eight pages, and then it was just every once in a while.  Corrigan writes about her relationship with her mother and how much she values/needs her in her life, especially her life as a mother.  There are a few quotes that I really loved:

"It may be that loving children, radically and beyond reason, expands our capacity to love others, particularly our own mothers."

I don't think I needed anything to make me love my mother more, but I definitely view her in a new way now that I am a mother.  I wish, more than anything, that she was here to ask questions not only about how to raise Trey but about how she chose to raise Julie and me.  I also find that I probably mirror her in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to discipline (or lack thereof) and pouring on the affection to my child.

"The mother is the most essential piece on the board, the one you must protect.  Only she has the range.  Only she can move in multiple directions.  Once she's gone, it's a whole different game."

Ain't that the truth?

One of my favorite things about Corrigan is what she has to say about women and friendship.  I love this video of hers where she talks about women supporting you through hard times.  I am so lucky to have so many amazing women in my life who are there for me through the thick and thin.  This experience of parenthood would not be the same without my girlfriends who are also raising young children as well as the women who I care about who have already raised children.  Thanks to all of you who enrich my life and make me who I am.