My Funny Valentine

Three is really the age where Little Lewie is starting to get things.  Halloween and Christmas were a whole lot different this year and so was Valentine's Day.  For weeks before the big day, I was on Amazon buying heart-shaped cookie cutters, ice cube trays, and even a mini pancake griddle.  Yes, I was going to make everything heart themed, and we were going to spread the love by making heart-shaped cookies for both his classmates and family.

I have to admit the task of making heart-shaped cookies was a little complicated at first.  Since I work, finding enough hours in the day is always a factor, and yes, I found myself being stressed for time.  However, all in all, I'm glad I made the effort.  Lewie enjoyed mixing the dough, rolling it, and eating it while Mommy congratulated herself on baking cookies that actually did look like hearts.  (Some cookies looked like blobs too.)  Lewie wasn't too interested in decorating the cookies, so I stayed up until 2 a.m. the night before Valentine's Day decorating all 36 cookies.  Again, this is an easy task for some I know, but not so easy for someone who's made sugar cookies a total of three times in her whole life.

The real surprise came when it was time to deliver the cookies to Lewie's preschool.  I made sure Lewie had a chance to hand his special cookies to his three teachers, but then I was invited in to watch Little Lewie deliver his Valentines in action and be part of the morning meeting!   Well, I couldn't have been more "tickled pink."  I got some great photos of him delivering his Valentines, and during the entire morning meeting, Little Lewie wouldn't stop holding my hand and looking up at me as if I was the most important person in the whole world.  He was thrilled to have Mommy at his side and was sad when it was time for me to go.

Oh, Valentine's Day.  At one time it was all about going to fancy dinners with my husband-to-be.  Now it's about getting hugs, kisses, and love like no other from my little boy...  I wouldn't want it any other way...

One of my "better" cookies.

Special cookies for Lewie's three teachers.

Cookies for Lewie's classmates.

Getting ready to deliver Valentines.

Each one being delivered with love.

The mail slots.  They sure did get lots of candy!

Valentine's Day Morning Meeting Song:  (Sung to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
          I love someone, I do.
          I love someone, I do.
          I love someone, I'll tell you who...
          It's (insert name), (insert name), and You!  or It's You and You and You!

Rollerskating

My husband and I have a secret.  Before Little Lewie was born, our favorite past-time was rollerskating.  Yes, we had many a date at RollerMagic Roller Rink together, and at one point, considered buying ourselves matching skates and learning how to ballroom dance with them.  (This is an entirely separate story, but RollerMagic hosts a ballroom skate session for old-timers every week.  Imagine our surprise when we arrived, only to see seventy and eighty year-olds professionally "skate dancing"  to the Polka and Big Band tunes.  We were humbled to learn that we only had a 1/4 of their skills.  They were unbelievably amazing.  No broken hips here.)

Well, now that Little Lewie is three, we decided we could gradually introduce him to our favorite past-time.  I know that I didn't learn how to roller skate until I was six or seven myself, but since we've been dying to go and Little Lewie doesn't seem to be bothered very much by falling and stumbling, why not?  The worst outcome would be that he'd hate it (or at least think he hates it until the next time we drag him), and the absolute best outcome would be that he'd beg us to take him again...

Since one of Little Lewie's favorite Team Umi Zoomi episodes is "Crazy Skates," he was thrilled to hear that we were going to take him rollerskating.  (Thanks Team Umi Zoomi!)  Without a hitch, we put on his little rental skates (they were so cute!) and let him try walking/skating in them first on the carpet.  To my surprise, he did wonderful--no fear, no discomfort, no complaining.  We were off to a great start!

Once Daddy and I decided to bring him on the rink, that's when the fun began.  Every time he held our hands, he'd go limp, let his skates slide out in front of him, and fall on his butt.  He thought it was hilarious, but an impatient Daddy got frustrated, and although I had more patience, my back had a hard time trying to help steady him and carry his weight.  Then, at another point, Little Lewie decided he wanted to skate against traffic.  Not only is this "illegal" on the rink, but it's also just plain dangerous for us and all the young skaters on the rink that haven't exactly mastered the technique of skating around us.

All in all, I must say it was a good day.  Though we learned that Little Lewie is still a little young for rollerskating (mainly because he needs to recognize that he can't take temper tantrums and get "his way" on the rink), he did love it and was quite upset when it was time for us to pack up and leave. 

To sum up the experience, I enjoyed

1. Seeing him wear his cute size 11 toddler roller skates.
2. Listening to him comment, "Awesome dude!"  when he saw all the kids skating on the rink.
3. Knowing that good old-fashioned RollerMagic is still up and running after many roller rinks have been forced to shut their doors.  (Both my husband and I both had roller birthday parties at RollerMagic as kids...)

We will come again soon!

Did you ever try teaching something new to a three year old?  How did it work out for you?