I am your run-of-the-mill Pinterest-Fail mama.
No, really.
I am.
On my daughter’s first birthday I attempted to make an ombre pink floral three-layer cake that I found on Pinterest.
Somewhere a picture of that disaster exists, but my mother and my sister can attest – it. was. a. failure.
Not to mention the fact that I made it a chocolate cake to find out a few weeks later – our daughter was ALLERGIC to chocolate (she’s fine, and no longer allergic, thank heavens!).
So, yes, I’m the Pinterest-Fail Queen.
And yet, I keep looking. And trying. And keep failing.
But this…this my friends, this has been a Pinterest SUCCESS.
Somewhere on Pinterest I saw this idea to put little hearts on your kiddo’s bedroom door starting February 1st, leading up to Valentine’s Day, listing many reasons why you love your kid(s).
I tucked that idea away as something to try and then promptly forgot about it. Until one day I was in the craft store (clearly I’m a glutton for punishment) and saw some pre-cut paper hearts and was reminded of the Pinterest Valentine’s Challenge (what I’m calling it.)
And so I bought those paper hearts and we did this.
And in a million years I never would have thought I would have loved my decision as much as I have.
It has made my day every morning and, I think, made hers.
Each morning we read the new reason, reaffirming why we love our child (there are SOOOOO many reasons, of course), and then she takes some blue painters tape (gotta preserve the paint), and decides where to put the heart on her bedroom door.
Before bed each night or before we head off to school (or both), she points to each heart and I re-read it off (she can’t read yet). Sometimes, she just turns to me and smiles. Others, like for “you give the best hugs” she rushes over to give me one her famous hugs before returning to the door and pointing at the next heart.
So. Many. Feels.
As far as reminders for why she is loved – why, yes, this is amazing.
As far as knowing that I’m sending her off on her day filled with affirmations of those reasons – real, concrete reasons why we love her – (like, she’s always kind, or she has a great laugh…you know, cute little things she can hold with her) yes, that is amazing too.
But, as far as slowing our morning or evening down and reconnecting — this has been the best thing ever.
And it has taken NO time and hardly any money, and zero effort — it’s NOT difficult for me to think of reasons why I am in love, over the moon, beyond happy that this kid is ours —— why would I NOT want to share those reasons with her all the time?
Our kiddo knows we love her. We say it all the time.
But we don’t always take the time to be specific. And remind her in every moment that we not only love her because she’s our daughter (which we do, unconditionally), but for reasons she might forget, or reasons it is always great to reinforce:
She is kind. This is true. She’s one of the sweetest little creatures ever.
She is also brave and creative. Those aren’t things everyone will always notice – and those are qualities we want her to be proud of, to hold tight to, to grow with.
These little hearts became more than a silly little Pinterest craft. They became a way for us to reinforce with our daughter, not just all the reasons why we love her, but reasons why she should be PROUD of who she is, who she is growing into.
So yes, this this little Pinterest idea from some amazingly creative mom (not me) has won my heart (pun intended). We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in our home – we forgo flowers and chocolate and fancy dinners out – but I will keep doing this every year until our kiddo moves out on her own, and heck, maybe even after that!
Truthfully, she will NEVER get too old for me to list, for 14 days in February, some very real reminders as to why we love her so much.
*and these heart-shaped pancakes on Valentine’s Day morning were an after-thought, a spur of the moment purchase at Paper Source, and were also a sweetly smashing success! #momwin #winning #illtakewhaticanget
prepsterhippymama 