Valentine's Day

This morning started out with a blow-out. Nope, not an argument. Things were peaceful. Think diapers! Ugh, not exactly the image you want to think about on a holiday that people secretly use as their excuse to eat chocolate (but that wouldn't be me, of course ;)! Ok, so I will stop with the potty humor (but I have noticed that it's a fairly popular discussion topic among moms :).

I dressed Mirabel in her Valentine's Day outfit shortly after she woke up and, not an hour later, it lost its cuteness thanks to that blow-out. It seems that Valentine's Day is a poopy day for many people, sadly. I remember how so many folks dreaded the day, particularly in high school and college. Some of my friends wore black. It was one of my favorite "holidays" and I used it as an excuse to wear way too much pink and red. Funny thing is, I was single on all but one Valentine's Day until I was 21. Yes, I have to admit, it was a little sad, but there was always someone or a group of someones I had to celebrate it with, so I couldn't be sad for too long.

Growing up, my parents celebrated Valentine's Day with my brother and me. We'd all go out to eat, and/or they'd give me something special. Usually it was a small gift, but it was thoughtful. I want to share that tradition with Mirabel, for many reasons. Mostly, I want her to realize there are many different kinds of love, and they can all be celebrated on Valentine's Day.

So after cleaning up the blow-out, and changing outfits (thankfully Mirabel has a ton of pink clothing ;), we headed to Target. Oh, Target. In my opinion, they've mastered the art of mass producing cuteness. Since this was our first Valentine's Day as more than just a couple, I decided it was time to stock up on cheesy Valentine's Day decor. I am one of those people who will find any excuse to fill their home with ridiculous holiday decorations, or "junk" as wise folks might call it. I decided that the kitchen would be the official Valentine's Day room. So we (well, mostly just me, but I'm sure Mirabel would've agreed with my purchases ;)... So we bought a simple table cloth, 2 plates (with hearts, of course), and 2 cups (with matching hearts), and a Valentine's Day garland. Oh yes, and a set of blocks with individual letters; you can match them up in various ways so that they read "love", "xoxo", or "hugs".

The table is spread out with the kitschy kitchen decor. There's a chocolate cake in the oven (one of the perks of having a cooking "job" is that I can choose relevant recipes! Yay!), and there's molé in the fridge (one of Jose's favorite Mexican dishes). It's a toasty 45 degrees today (which is very warm for us! I even have the doors and windows open!)...

And it's our first Valentine's Day with a little girl.

I hope she and Jose both know that I love them. This year we're celebrating a new kind of love. Our family is growing. This is why I wanted to make this Valentine's Day slightly more memorable, cheesy decor aside. This is our last Valentine's Day in our tiny but warm apartment. Next year, we'll be in our first rental house, though we already have a home.

Last weekend I bought this potted flower. I'm determined to keep it alive! This is the only spot in our place that gets direct sunlight; every time I walk by it, I remember that Spring is just around the corner. And if this flower can make it through a rough winter, then so can I. It just needs a little sunshine. Thankfully, we're getting plenty of sunshine this Valentine's Day.