It says "Let’s BEE Friends!" And there’s a picture of a bee on it.

This weekend was our neighbourhood’s annual outdoor party, complete with skating, tobogganing, and barbeque, and by some incredible good fortune, the weather was very mild, making it a perfect day.  Mark built a snowman with his dad:
I’m basking in the glory of a snowman, whose existence I did not assist in.

Cute, right?  Until his head was knocked off by some random child, the evil murderer.

Good times.  I also baked and decorated FIVE DOZEN cookies, which I tried to photograph in an arty kind of way but either my camera lacks the proper arty settings or I lack talent in photography.  Either way, here is my non-artistic take:

Mark made me a Valentine yesterday:

So very sweet.  Not only does it include Valentine’s stickers, he also used some cute ones left over from Christmas.  Then Jake came home from school today with this:

You may not be able to tell, because of my awesome photography, but the front of the card says BEE MINE.  And there is a bee on it.  I can now die happy because – and I am not joking or being ironic in any way – I have always wanted a Valentine with a bee, saying BEE MINE, or alternately, Let’s BEE Friends!  So between those cards and the fact that my husband went to the grocery store specifically to buy me a mint chocolate truffle bar, this is the greatest Valentine’s Day ever. 

When the boys gave me their sweet offerings, I thought of that Tiger Mom and her rejection of the homemade birthday card, and in case you are unaware of this newsworthy story, the Tiger Mom’s family had forgotten it was her birthday until the very last minute, and one of her daughters made her a quick, last minute card.  The Tiger Mom was repulsed by this shabby offering and informed her daughter that she deserved better.  It was not good enough.  CARD REJECTED.  I have mixed feelings about this.  If my family forgot my birthday – which is unlikely to ever happen given that a) my husband is not a dick and he knows how much I love birthdays, and b) I practically institute a countdown and wear a sandwich board in the weeks prior to my birthday – I would be extremely angry and disappointed.  But a mother rejecting a child’s artistic endeavours is abhorrent to me. 

I, like the Tiger Mom, have high expectations of my children.  I expect them to behave well and be polite, kind, and respectful; I expect them to do well in school and do their homework and reading every day; I expect them to do their chores in the house and keep their rooms neat.  I think all of those things are reasonable.  But saying to a child that a card that they made is “not good enough” is akin, in my mind, to saying “YOU are not good enough”.  And that is a tragedy.

But on a happier note, Happy Valentine’s Day to you, my dear readers!  Let’s BEE friends!  Bzzz.

Comments

  1. I will bee your friend! Lol! I was given some beautiful valentines from my boys today too. There is nothing better then that! I would take a card made by my children over anything store bought in a second. Your weekend sounds super fun!
    Happy Valentines’s Day,
    Bee-u-tiful! 😀

  2. I haven’t read the Tiger Mom because I have already pre-judged her as a cold-hearted bitch.

    You, on the other hand, are a SuperMom. Look at you with the 5 dozen cookies!

  3. Awww!

  4. I woke up to a note from my 7 year old saying I was the best mother and that I rock. The bee mine card is adorable.

  5. 5 dozen heart cookies? Now that is love.

    Homemade valentines (and cards) are the best.

    The fact that Tiger Mom’s family forgot her birthday? Shows me that her family is not as awesome as she thinks.

  6. Maybe they hadn’t really forgotten her birthday. Maybe they had judged her and decided she was only worth a crappy last-minute card. Maybe she’s lucky the card didn’t say “blow it out your tiger-hole, bitch”. Then maybe she would learn to bee nicer, like you.

  7. I heard about the Tiger Mom, but I didn’t know the homemade card story. That’s awful! I’d prefer a homemade card.

  8. Cute pics Nicole! I can’t believe ALL the cookies you made and decorated…wow!

    I got a digital SLR for Christmas and I am struggling with using it properly! So many great pics of mine are ruined by the big, bright flash…I’m learning though!

  9. I would be quite angry if my husband forgot my birthday, but I am with you. I can’t imagine telling my child the card wasn’t good enough. How awful.

    LisaDay

  10. How cute. Tiger mom’s getting a lot of attention…maybe that’s all she wanted. I don’t bother.
    I found you through Kat’s blog.

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