What we did for Valentine's Day

The past two years, Dad and I have had a standing Valentine's date with a super-fancy restaurant that requires you dress up and come loving your salmon bathed in creamy sauces. It was exceedingly fun for Dad, being the peacock that he is, because i) he could dress to the nines and not look out of place and ii) he got to eat the only reasonable-tasting steak in the city of Seattle; it was fun for me because i) I got to see how googly Dad gets when I dress like an actual girl and ii) I love me some salmon when I don't have to debone it. Last year when we went I was of course big and preggers, and we agreed that it would be weird in '05 cause we would, like, have a baby.

Well, we still did it up right Claire & Mike style, oh yeah. We both go to work in the a.m., and this is precious time because the clock is ticking until we pick up the Buster. But this morning we shunned responsibility for a half-hour and, in honor of St. Valentine's, met in my building's cafeteria to chat with each other over coffee and donuts. I was feeling so festive that I almost got the donut with sprinkles, but unfortunately that donut did not contain chocolate. Then, despite Dad's insistence yesterday that he would cook us up a fancy-schmancy meal, we caved and went to Whole Foods for some "gourmet" take-out:


Isaac had a great Valentine's Day. He got valentines from some of his buddies at school, and he made us a valentine with a big red Isaac footprint on it. He got a package in the mail from Great-Grandma & -Grandpa Ross (it actually arrived Saturday) with a new book, a basketball and wall-mountable hoop, and the traditional chocolate array (for the big people). He got an adorable velvety card that can prop itself up for his grabbing and chewing pleasure from Grandma & Grandpa O'Neal. Grandma & Grandpa Ross sent an assortment of big-people chocolate things, but also a cute and exceedingly cuddly stuffed kitty for Isaac. But by far the best Valentine's present according to Isaac was the red & white tissue paper Grandma Ross used to line the box she shipped. Isaac spent at least an hour taking the tissue paper out and methodically, delicately julienne-ing it, stacking up the strips he created in a neat little heap. Watching him do this was, by far, the most fantastic way I have ever spent an evening. Note to future box-shippers: please include tissue paper.