My baby boys are the absolute best kiddos on the planet. It’s a fact. I just love watching them experience new things everyday. My older guy is in his second year of preschool. (He attends two schools, so his peer group is double the typical size.) That means we also celebrate all holidays twice… due to two schools… including Valentine’s Day!
This sweet, sweet kiddo fell in love with the holiday. He affectionately refers to it (unintentionally) as Talenvine’s Day. He loved receiving Talenvines as well as passing them out to all his friends and teachers. I’m sure everyone just loved the construction vehicles with enclosed “punny” cards!
Ever since February 14, my baby has been asking about Talenvines, making Talenvines for Mama and Pops, and hanging Talenvines on the wall. You name it, we do it! More recently one day, we realized he is constantly creating special artwork for everyone else, but not receiving any in return, so this Mama jumped in to action!
I printed off a copy of my V-Day Bouquet illustration, wrote this my boy a special note, and had it waiting for him in the morning. HE. WAS. THRILLED. But you want to know the best part? He saw the hands… He looked at the hands holding the flowers and said… (I get goosebumps as I type this…) “That’s me!”
My child saw himself in the artwork that I created. This is my mission, my vision. And it’s happening within my own four walls. I replay that moment in my head almost daily. It keeps me going on tough days, days full of rejection and failure, days when I don’t feel well, days when the odds are not forever in my favor. He is my everyday Valentine, my forever Valentine.