This has been a Valentine’s week for us. I got home on Monday afternoon and Bruce had put a sticky note on the garage door opener that read, “Follow the hearts.” I followed a series of red-marker hearts all the way down to the basement as Isabella giggled, “I’m not going to tell you the surprise!” When I got downstairs, Shania Twain’s “Still the One” was playing on the iPod (through the speakers), and a sticky note on top of a card read, “Open this,” a sticky note on top of three gladiolas (my favorite flower) read, “Enjoy these,” and a sticky note on top of my black dress read, “Wear this.” Then Bruce came out of the closet, nice blue shirt and brand new tie, to surprise me for Valentine’s Day! We had a wonderful romantic dinner at the Melting Pot while Elizabeth, who’s in town right now, watched the girls. It was a wonderful Valentine’s surprise.
The following night, after my parent teacher conferences, we went to see James Blunt in concert at the Ogden Theatre. It was a great show–he was a good performer and played almost every song from his two albums. Believe it or not, this was the first time that Bruce and I ever went to a concert together!
I couldn’t top Bruce’s surprise, but I did get up early on Valentine’s Day and give him the poem I’d written for him and made him breakfast in bed. I know it didn’t compare to his romanticism, but it was a nice try!
Isabella had her Valentine’s party at school on Wednesday. She wrote her name on all twenty-two cards that she gave out. She’s getting really good at writing her name, and has our phone number, address, and how to spell Vittetoe memorized. We guess that she is about ready for kindergarten, and it looks like she will be attending Pine Lane Primary, which is right across the street from where I teach in Parker. We’re celebrating her fifth birthday this weekend with a blowout party!
Mythili is still the creative, imaginative daughter. She will pretend any two things in the world are talking to each other. She was even playing with pieces of Elizabeth’s hair and pretending they were taking adventures into her ear! She will also sit with a book for long periods of time and make up stories.
Riona now officially understands all that we say to her, and she tries to talk back in her own invented language. She is always looking for and pointing in the general direction of Bobo, her bear. Today as I was changing her diaper, I said, “Do you want to have a snack?” and she started talking and pointing downstairs, where she knew the food was.
We switched around all of our rooms today–we put Isabella and Mythili in the master bedroom so they could have more space to play and actually be able to use the desk that’s part of their loft bed. We put Riona in their former room so all kids are on the same level and we can actually enjoy the angelfish mural that mom painted. And we moved “Elizabeth’s room” downstairs to the garden level. Everyone loves their new arrangements!
