Valentine’s Day means a whole lot when you think you’re missing out on something. You think everyone is getting roses and chocolates and giggling over heart shaped pizza and that you are the only one listening to Whitney Houston love songs on repeat…all by yourself.
As a teenage girl you tend to measure your worth on Valentine’s Day based on what it is you were able to collect at school. My God how I longed for a heart shaped box filled with chocolates. I didn’t have boyfriends. The only man I consistently received heart shaped boxes of chocolates from was my step-dad Bob. No matter who was in or out of my life, or how moody and stubborn I was, the one constant I could count on was a box of chocolates from him.
I fell in love with Valentine’s Day again when I had kids. I love any excuse to celebrate them and make them feel special. I love how excited they get and I know the time for them to be as enamored with their parents as they are right now will be short lived.
One day I might find them listening to Whiteny Houston love songs on repeat all by themselves (she’s timeless)…I can see myself peeking in on them, whispering “but *I* love you!!!” before quickly ducking away from a flying shoe.
No matter how moody and stubborn they are, I’ll always slip them something special for Valentine’s Day, just like Bob did for me.
Just maybe they’ll grow up appreciating the fact that no matter what boyfriends or girlfriends were in or out of their lives at any given time, the one constant they could count on was a box of chocolates from their mother.
I guess I inherited something from him after all.
Tracie says
We don’t do much for Valentine’s Day in our family, but we do get a box of chocolates – because I never pass up an opportunity to eat chocolate.
That is SO sweet!! I used to work at a Subway when I was a teenager. No one brought me a cake :(
Kisatrtle says
We dont do much around here for valentines day but….maybe we should. I liked your post
Karen and Gerard says
My dad used to buy us chocolate candy for Valentine’s Day too! I never had any boyfriend either so Valentine’s Day was always kind of blah. I liked doing the valentine’s for school with the valentine box but that was the extent of it. Your kids are cute, like that they wrote in the dirt with the stick.
Angel says
My first job was Walmart. I had a guy bring me roses one day. Didn’t hurt that he was HOT.. he was the sweetest guy and he always smelled so good. Every time I was working he would make it a point to come to my line. I would always say how nice he smelled or that I loved his shirt * course it didn’t hurt he had abs to define that shirt ahem*. He loved the fact that I always noticed something nice about him and brought me roses. They tried to tell me I couldn’t take them, I told them touch my flowers and die a slow painful death lol.
Tracy P. says
I love this post. It is so, so true. You are such a good mom. And photographer. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mama Kat. :-)
becca says
Happy Valentine Day
Arnebya @whatnowandwhy says
We don’t do much outside of making cards for them to take to school. Both of my girls wanted to take cupcakes today, but mommy likes to drink at night and sometimes, just like that tooth fairy bitch, things get forgotten. But! I’d bought these cute little mailboxes from Target a few weeks back. I made them each a card and put it in the mailbox, put the flag up. Both girls write us notes incessantly, so this’ll be a cute way for them to let us know we have mail (even though most of the notes are complaining about something their sibling did, something we won’t let them do, or DAMN YOU SKINNY JEANS!).
Like your stepdad, my father sends them a card every year through the mail (he lives like 25 minutes away). They think this makes it more special. Too bad once they’re adults they will lose that desire for mail with their names on it.
Joanne says
That is such a sweet memory. I think it is nice that you carry it on with your kids. The mommalogues video was great too. It is amazing how something thoughtful and unexpected from a complete stranger can be burned into your memory that way. Maybe you gave him a free sandwich or two just at a time in his life when it helped. You never know.
JDaniel4's Mom says
What a wonderful memory! I love Valentine’s Day. I think it is because I love my guys so much.
Emmy says
You are right, it is definitely a bigger deal when you are a teen. I remember my first “boyfriend” in 5th grade and the little box of chocolates he gave me on valentines day made me feel so awesome.
Gina says
This is sweet and I always make a big deal out of Valentines Day for my kids too…hubby and I don’t really care. My kids are 21 and 18.5 and still love baskets on Easter morning and presents labeled “From Santa”. Of course, I will always do it because I will always love them!
Venassa says
We never got anything for Valentine’s Day at home but it was always a blast at school. It sounds like you had quite the amazing step-father. I hope to do something similar with my child(ren).
Mary says
Love how you celebrate this day with your kids. Valentine’s Day is also my birthday and my daughter had a blast last night while I wasn’t looking and hid all kinds of birthday and valentine notes throughout the house. She put one under the kettle on the stove and I’m just so grateful I wasn’t too sleepy and actually took it off the stove before putting the burner on! The excitement she has for this day is infectious and I hope it continues. She’s 10! Thanks for your great posts. Happy V Day!
Jennifer says
By far it was the year I was pregnant with Bud. Big Girl was three and David took her with him to buy me a pair of earrings. She came running in bawling her eyes out, yelling, “Daddy won’t let me have the earrings?” “Which earrings?” I thought she meant like her dress up ones. “The FANCY ONES!” Guess what I got that Valentine’s day.
June Freaking Cleaver says
My dad really hated to shop, and avoided it like the plague…but every Valentine’s Day, when I was a kid, he’d bring home three heart-shaped boxes of candy – the biggest for my mom, and one for my brother and me.
Jen says
That is so sweet that a random stranger gave you a cake.
And I really need to step it up and make Valentine’s Day more special. Yup, I really do.
imperfectmomma says
thats awesome. I always got a box of chocolate from my parents. I cant wait til monkey and diva understand this day.
meleah rebeccah says
How lovely! Happy Valentine’s Day.
meleah rebeccah says
Working alone at Subway at 16 years old – getting swamped – and being miserable must have sucked. But getting that cake is awesome!
Jamie says
The part about them being as enamored with us right now is so true and so evident in my house right now! I figured out with the birth of my first that there is no way I ever loved my Mom as much as she loved me. The circle of life I suppose.
Susan in the Boonies says
I’m feeling kind of kruddy because I did nothing for ANYONE this year.
I’m positive they all know I love them. BUT….
I loved what you do for your family, and I’m thinking I should be more of a constant for MY kids.
(Even though I think I am: just in different ways.)