A Bloody Valentines Day

Nana asked me yesterday if I remembered on Valentine’s Day growing up we always ate/drank red things for dinner.  Spaghetti, chili, red Kool-aid.  I told her no.  She suggested I start the tradition with the twins… somehow, I don’t think she ever dreamed “red” would include blood.

Last night, while eating our Valentine’s Day dinner, the kids finished up and were playing around.  They ended up running the “circle” as we call the path through the living room, dining room, kitchen, and hallway.

Pretty soon, we heard a bang and crying.  Here comes Bo crying that he got hurt.  He is holding his face and freaking out.  I pull his hands away and see red on his face.  I immediately grabbed a napkin and started wiping it down, then realized that it was BBQ sauce and not blood.

I cleaned him up.

Loved on him some and sent him on his way.

As he backed away, I happened to look down and his entire big toe is covered in blood.  It wasn’t BBQ sauce, that’s for sure.

I grabbed him and the Hubs ran for the first aid kit.  I sat Bo up on the table, cleaned and doctored his toe and let him play with my cell phone for a while as the Hubs and I finished dinner.

Pretty soon, here comes Mo and she hands Bo her heart balloon that Nana gave them (Bo’s popped earlier in the day).

She came up and got really close and gave him a hug and said “Bo, my balloon will make you feel better.”

He said, “Thanks, sissy.”  She said, “Happy Valentines Day Bo, I love you.”

Bo replied, “Happy Valentines Day Sissy, I love you too.”

She gave him a hug and went off to play.

I am a pretty laid back parent.  I just ask that my kids grow up happy, healthy, loving and become responsible adults that make a difference in the world.  I shower my kids with love– probably too much love, if you ask some people.  I let them learn from their own mistakes.  I just ask they be polite, caring, compassionate, loving children.  Above all, they must have fun in life.  Day in and day out, my kids absolutely amaze me with the love they have for each other and our family.

When little things like this happen, my heart swells.

I must be raising my kids right.

I must be doing a pretty darn good job.

Julia is the divorced mom of twins, a blogger, a sometimes crafter, crazy snailmailer, and a corporate bean counter. In her "spare" time, she scrapbooks, travels, makes cards, blogs, designs jewelry, searches for missing cleats and pom poms, enjoys good dark chocolate, and sneaks naps.