valentines 2014

Jer and I have been valentines for 5 years now. it's no big deal! (but really, it kinda is). I worked on Friday the 14th, so we celebrated early on Tuesday. We have a "go to the temple monthly" resolution, so we knew just where to go. Thanks to Grandma Bodtcher, we got to do a session and go to dinner as well (good old Olive Garden, close to home of course). It was an all-around fantastic night. I love how at peace I feel whenever I go to the temple, and I love going with my baby daddy. While we were waiting for our entree, I looked down at the jalapeno pepper in the salad, and recalled eating one following a dare from Jeremy on our very first valentine's date (4 years ago). Our server was so enthusiastic and brought me a handful of those mint chocolates to dull the burn. HA! I could never turn down a good dare. 

I work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights every week, so we always just do our best to celebrate a little here and there for holidays. I tried out a little photoshoot with Amelia; though, she's not very into staying in the same place. I tried a book, playing "boo!" and even bribed her with a piece of popcorn (she just kept pointing and signing "more please"). When I got off work Thursday night (aka Friday morning), I came home to my favorite flowers and a cute little note. I got to work decorating: heart-attack on our bedroom door, a "LOVE" ameliaprint (handprint for the 'O' and footprints for the 'V'), and a frame. I like to give Jeremy a cute framed item to add to our bedroom wall and also write a love note to keep within. I've been obsessing with Katy Perry's song "Teenage Dream" lately, and thought it would be so cute to make our own print, complete with a flat-line through the heart- you know, like an ekg reference to a stopped heart, because we're both nurses??

So Jeremy works all day on Valentines, gets home 15 minutes before I have to leave for work. We're holding each other in the kitchen, and I'm asking him if he got the flat-lining bit. He goes, "yeah, I got that, but I don't understand the quote?" I stare at him blankly. He reads the print out loud, "my heart stops when you AT ME?" I stare at the print.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO devastating, so hilarious, and I have my page-long note written on the back side too.
Oh well, we're keeping it and hanging it, and we'll be able to laugh about it for years to come.

I love my sweet valentine for all the big things and all the little things. I'm glad we have so much to laugh about and so much love to keep our hearts full and swelling.

Happy Valentines to all my loved ones!
xoxo

little things

Amelia and I go to toddler time at the library on Wednesdays and Thursdays. At the beginning, we always sing: "come along and clap with me, clap with me, clap with me; come along and clap with me, it's time for storytime" while you clap. And then the same thing, but you stomp. And then again, but a toddler gets to pick. Usually Amelia just stares, wide-eyed and unsure. Today, Millie babe clapped and stomped and she whispered "spin" and started spinning, so we all spun!


It's just the little little things that make my mama heart swell with pride.

in the middle of the night

is when my patience grows the very thinnest. Millie babe has started screaming bloody murder around 3 am lately, it's bringing nostalgia from the newborn days. It's really just so so exhausting. Jeremy brought her into our bed to cuddle last night (yes, my man gets up with the baby on the nights he works when I beg). Amelia doesn't sleep well in our bed, it's mostly just for cuddles, and we'll usually put her back in her crib when she calms down (my job, since Jeremy got her up). In the middle of the night is when my patience grows it's very thinnest. But Millie babe leans over me, gives me a kiss on my lips, says "love you," and readjusts herself so she has her arm around me.


Being a mama is hard sometimes, but these tender moments put everything into perspective.
I'm so very blessed.