Happy belated Valentine's Day. What a difference a year makes. Last year I was home with a sweet little babe and got to do something super crafty and call it a day. This year, I had to fit in the craftiness (which I did, of course!) and cute Valentine's stuff among the usual day-to-day work, work prep, cleaning, and crazy-baby.
Firstly, here's what I whipped up for Adelaide for her big Valentine's day lunch. I'm so super inspired by this blog, but I have to wait until little miss is older for her to be able to appreciate the time and effort and inspiration it would take to make lunches like that for her. But cutting a slice of whole wheat bread (she's never had white) into hearts? Sure! Quartering some on-hand red grapes? Yep! And throwing in mashed potatoes even though they in no way tie into Valentine's Day because I knew that's the one thing of the whole lunch she'd probably eat? Definitely!
And last week, her teacher asked if I wanted to take part in a Valentine's exchange. I said sure! An excuse to help Adelaide create her first batch of sweet love notes? Yes, please! Again, this is something I can't wait until she's older for, because I have SO many ideas of adorable handmade valentines to do with her (thank you, Pinterest!).
Since Adelaide loves finger painting, it was a natural decision to use that skill to paint some V-day hearts. I cut some little hearts from white paper, and gave her a lid of red paint and a lid of blue paint. It was AMAZING to watch her. Before, and even just her last session which was about 6 weeks ago, she'd just smear her hands around and think it was pretty cool to make a smudgy mess. NOW, she actually PICKED UP the paint and PLACED IT ON THE PAPER. It was so cool. Of course, my art teacher side swelled with pride!
After they dried, I glued them to corresponding sheets of construction paper, used funky scissors to cut a border, and wrote a special note on the back. I made sure to give her two teachers the cutest hearts (well, after I claimed a couple (a few?) for myself and her scrapbook!).
Tada! I thought they were super cute. I was able to make 10 of them (after they dried) while watching the Bachelor this week. Well, those, and 14 little hearts in which I wrote 14 things I loved about the hubs. On Valentine's morning, while he was in the bathroom, Adelaide and I ran around the house and hid them in various places. He loved finding them all around the house! And I got some special-made hair sticks that he turned on his lathe, and a foot rub!
It was a pretty awesome Valentine's Day. I could have done without the full day of work, but it was great nonetheless!
I love how happy you sound in this post even though you've been under stress lately -- and no surprise, considering all the magical valentine-y things you were doing (plus a heavenly foot rub -- my husband needs to take notes)! I am so anxious for the day when my daughter can fingerpaint her own valentines (though I'm trying not to wish away her babyhood too quickly).
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute! Too bad all these creative bloggers don't live closer because we'd be making baby valentines and get just ONE house messy:) Hand turned hair pins? I have to see these! I hope you post them they sound beautiful and interesting. Keep on keeping on! Adelaide is so gorgeous and she has the cheeks! It's so hard not to squeeze the cheeks!
ReplyDeletePenelope and I just looked at these pictures together. When we got to the picture of Adelaide holding her hands up, P said "Adelaide is too a mess! She's so silly." Very cute valentines, by the way.
ReplyDelete[Courtney] Aww thanks! I have my good days and my bad, you know? But you have to soak up the good when you can!
ReplyDelete[Erica] Wouldn't that be FANTASTIC?!
[Hannah] She is so silly. :)