our cranky valentines

Dear Em,
The last couple years, we've made Snapfish photo cards for Valentine's Day. This year I was wicked excited about the two of us making cards together. Unfortunately, the day I planned for us to make our valentines was also a day that you had your fifth double ear infection (in six months) & a day where you had gone without a nap. We had fun making our valentines...just with six or seven tantrums in between.

I found so much valentine inspiration on blogs this year. I thought Haley from Life is Sweet... made such cute & darling homemade valentine's with her son. Then I saw these free printable notecards with the words, "I love you because..." & "I carry your heart. (I carry it in my heart.). They're simple & perfect & have the words from my favorite E.E. Cummings poem. I loved both ideas. I couldn't pick which ones would be our valentines. So, I decided we would do both.

We started with a smock, some red paint, & card stock paper. I learned from our last finger painting experience & had the table covered in plastic with paper towels within arms reach.

You actually originally got to do this part with your little best friend, but it was a little too hectic with two toddlers to take pictures. I took these shots during our second batch of handprints. Once they dried, I cut them out & glued them to the notecards I had previously downloaded & printed.

I asked you to help me write little messages to each of your Valentines, but that's where the bulk of the tantrums stemmed from. There was kicking. There was screaming. There was dropping to the floor. There was time out. Still, there was a lot of love in the making of our Valentines. I think they came out really cute, & I'm excited to send our love to our friends in family for Valentine's Day.

I hope our cranky valentines bring a big smile to the people we love.

I love you so,

Mommy