So, Happy Valentine’s Day to ya. We started the celebrations early – we had a really good day yesterday. The sun was out which is so rare these days, it makes all of us pasty-white Seattlites crawl out of hibernation. When the sun was first trying to break through a thick bank of clouds, Matthew said, “Look, Mom – the moon!” I had to correct him; sadly my children didn’t even remember what the sun was.

I was starting to worry that we would never get out of our cranky curse. Since last week, we – me and the kids especially – have been fighting the effects of “bijiggitiness.” That’s our word for feeling generally blah, cranky and stuck in a funk. We were losing the battle. Thankfully, yesterday, that really turned around. After preschool we went and played at the park for an hour. Matthew had some sugar to burn off from his “Celebration of Caring and Sharing” Party. (Is it no longer PC to say “Valentine’s Day”?). Plus, it was beautiful, so everyone and their mother, their dog and their long-lost cousin found their way outside. It’s really like we’re zombies or something – stumbling out of houses, blocking the light with your arm, completely disoriented in this new colorful and not just blah-gray world.

We had a fantastic time at the park and then came home for lunch and naptime/quiet time. Matthew and I were playing Legos in his room. I told him that I’m so impressed with the different vehicles that he can create; I said it makes me very proud to watch him. And he said, “You make me proud, Mommy.” Huh?! “I do? What do I do that makes you proud?” Without skipping a beat or breaking his Lego-building focus, Matthew responded, “You watch over me. Keep me from getting lost. Make sure that I don’t get into trouble.”

Oh my gosh, he gets it!