And all it took was school

I am one of those I-hate-Valentine's-Day kind of girls. I once hosted a “I hate Valentine's Day” contest and the response was quite good.

My husband and I have never really celebrated, maybe because I said I didn't care about the greeting-card-company created holiday. Early on I may have given him a movie, but recently I buy some chocolate and some sour jube jubes (is there are point to any other kind?) and Valentine's is done.

Growing up, my parents would make us handmade greeting cards and a few candies, and I did the same for my little guy until this year.

This year, E is in school and they are having a Valentine's Day party complete with both healthy and unhealthy snacks and drinks. He told me they were making Valentine's “for their mommy, daddy or sister” at school. He had his Valentine's signed for all his friends by Monday and we have been counting down the days until Feb. 14 for more than a week. He is super excited.

And that excitement is catchy. For the first time, I am also excited for the Big Day to arrive (we played a 'pretend' game yesterday and it was both Christmas and Valentine's Day on the same day. Oh the joy).

Tonight after my little one went down, I made a banner that hangs on the banister. I made two Valentine's Day cards – one is sitting on the table with a few candies that he will be able to eat in the morning and a bag of candy for later. I made a second Valentine, which will be in his lunch bag along with three heart-shaped jube jubes. And I found a recipe for two-toned pancakes. I have set my alarm 10 minutes earlier to prepare for the Big Day.

There is only one thing missing. My coworker said her mom used to hide jelly beans for them to find on Valentine's Day. I thought that was such a fabulous idea that I bought a bag of candy-coated licorice to hide. The only problem is I can't find it. I am hoping its hiding spot will appear to me in my dreams tonight.

How about you? What are you doing for Valentine's Day?

Goodbye Freedom

It's official. School is over for another year.
It has been more than 10 years since I have sat in a classroom, longer since June signalled the end of another school year and the beginning of summer freedom.
Yet here I am, saddened school is over, not for the kids who will enjoy a summer of fun, but for the idea that in eight short weeks - we all know how fast summer disappears - my guy will be heading off to school.
How did this happen? How did my baby turn into a school-age boy already?
Time has had a funny way of speeding up since my guy has appeared in my life and while I have embraced - and enjoyed - all the ages and all the stages, I am scared and sad about this new chapter called school.
The part of me who still mourns the end of summer at the close of the Labour Day weekend is sad for the start of school and the end of freedom for my son.

Studies Say ...

Studies say that children who go to daycare are more social and do better in school.

Quite frankly, I don’t care what the studies say.

And isn’t it insulting to the generation of children who were raised by their mothers? Were we social-inept, stupid children? I don’t think so.

So perhaps the study isn’t telling us all that we need to know or maybe it’s telling us this so we don’t feel bad about plunking our children in daycare for 10 hours a day while we get “me” time.

Everything Old is New Again

I am watching as my son plays with my childhood toys. We brought the Rubbermaid container of mainly Fisher-Price toys up to our new office, where my now one-year-old pulls out the A-Frame House, the Children’s Hospital and the Family School, and all of its pieces, not to mention the safari, the circus and more, and plays with them.

There are a lot of memories in those toys as my brother rediscovered during my son’s birthday party Saturday. He claims I stole those toys, robbing his daughter - and himself - of hours of enjoyment.

He is completely wrong. He got the first pick of our childhood toys and books, as he lives closer, and I got the choice of his rejects.
Bring on a new generation of Fisher-Price users.