Here is Caitie with her Valentine Box and Valentine Cards for her class Valentine's Party. Did I type Valentine enough? If not, you'll get your fill in these next couple of sentences... I made her Valentine box (i used a tissue box), which was a Valentine monster box. I think it turned out kinda cute. It did win the cutest monster Valentine box award, never mind that she had the only 'monster box'. um, yeah... Anyway...
A few days before Valentine's Day, Bailey and I went to the store to get a few Valentine gifts. Here she's trying to hold the huge tiger I got for Caitie. Normally I wouldn't buy such a big stuffed animal, but I just couldn't resist. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to get it for her. I got a stuffed tiger for Christmas one year when I was around Caitie's age, it wasn't as big, but I loved it so decided to splurge on this cute cat for Caitie, hoping she would love hers as much as I loved mine.
On Valentine's morning, Bailey and I ran to the store again, to finish up my Valentine shopping. This time I got the girls a couple of mylar balloons and some cute pink flowers for Caitie. Bailey saw all of her gifts, and actually helped pick out a couple of her gifts while shopping. I had already given the girls their first Valentine gifts of the day, which was a stuffed crocodile for Bailey and a stuffed baby tiger for Caitie; I have a tradition of having the Valentine stuffed animals in the car seats before taking Caitie to school. Caitie mentions this every year now, knowing there will be something in her car seat, so I guess it's not really a surprise anymore. ha
I like to make heart-shaped toast for Caitie for breakfast on Valentine's morning. (i also made caitie's and her daddy's sandwiches with heart shaped bread for their lunches on valentine's day. hey, i go all out. um, yeah...) I used a heart cookie cutter this time; last year I used a heart template I printed out to use to help shape the toast with a knife. The cookie cutter was much easier and faster, of course. I got the heart cup, of which I got eight all together, and the festive Valentine plates for a good price at Walmart.
I was looking forward to seeing Caitie all excited about seeing the big tiger on her bed when she came home from school on Valentine's Day. I was wanting to surprise her with it, but that was not to be. I got the tiger a few days before Valentine's Day and decided to hide it in mine and Michael's bedroom closet. It was so big that it was hard to cover it up, so I just kept Caitie from going in the closet during that time... but... the night before Valentine's Day, I was really tired and wasn't thinking clearly (not that i usually do anyway, but you know what i mean...), and when I went to hang clothes up in my closet, Caitie followed me in... I didn't give it any thought and was just talking with her while I hung the clothes... I then heard a gasp and then a question of... "Is that mine?" Her eyes were huge, her mouth hung open... I, on the other hand, had eyes about to fill with tears and my jaw was on the floor, I yelled for her to get out quickly and said she wasn't supposed to see that. She ran... and hid... and nothing else was said, except for my telling Michael how disappointed I was that the surprise was ruined. He had warned me to make sure and cover the tiger just in case, and I had ignored him, so he didn't have too much to say except... "I told you so." um, yeah... It was a great night. ha So it ended up being the surprise that wasn't (hence the post title). I went ahead and put the tiger on her bed the next day, along with a few other Valentine gifts, while she was at school, and as expected, when she got home from school and ran up to her room, I didn't hear her shrill of excitement the way I had pictured it would be. She said she wasn't sure if she should say anything or not due to not knowing if I wanted her to see the tiger yet or not; I think she was afraid of disappointing me again. ha Who was the mature one in this situation? It certainly wasn't me. It all turned out all right even though she wasn't surprised... she sure loves the tiger and was relieved to have received it on Valentine's Day. :)
Here are the pink flowers I got for Caitie. I like how simple and pretty they are sitting on her night stand; just right for someone her age. She loves flowers.
I didn't forget about Bailey. I got her a few things too. Including a couple of stuffed animals, balloon, candy, etc.
Caitie and her daddy went Valentine shopping a couple of days, and the night before, Valentine's Day. They both got me some really nice things... my favorite being this necklace. Caitie picked it out herself and insisted her daddy get it. I love it.
I made a chocolate heart-shaped cake on Valentine's Day. I think it turned out really nice. We had it for dessert along with some ice cream that night after dinner. We watched a movie in our movie room while we ate dinner and had dessert. It was a nice evening. I love the roses; Caitie picked those out. She had mentioned several times when we were at different stores a few weeks before Valentine's Day that she wanted to get me flowers and other things, and Michael told her he would take her shopping before Valentine's Day to get me some things. She also helped Michael find some things to get for me. He said she was insistent on everything that he got me as well. She did a great job finding things. She also made some craft items in class that she gave to me as well. She's such a sweetie. :)
We got some things for Michael as well... mostly food items... candy, chips, etc. He's hard to buy for... on a budget, anyway. ha :) (it doesn't sound like much, but valentine's day is geared more toward females, which are easier to buy for on such a day. ha)
It was a nice Valentine's Day even though my surprise didn't go as planned. :)
"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action."
- Mother Theresa
