Mommy's Day 2012

This Mother's Day was another special one although it was a bit different.  We (the Valentine Nest) have been overtaken by cold/cough/ear infection/allergy attack in the past two weeks so Sunday morning started off with a LOT of coughing.  It was enough coughing for Rob & me to call in sick for teaching the 4 & 5 year old class at CCC.  That was a bummer to miss but the extra rest & relaxation was needed. We laid in bed for as long as our rambunctious 2 year old would let us then she & Rob headed to the kitchen to whip up a batch of buttermilk pancakes for me. During breakfast, Robby said to Charlotte "Do you know that you made Mommy a Mommy?" She smiled like "what are you guys talking about & why are you crying again mommy?" I told her the story once again about how I asked God to bless me with a baby & how I had to be patient and wait. I told her about how hard it was but then when she came out of my belly & was given to me, I was so thankful. We looked at some pictures of the previous Mother's Day's going back to 2009 when I was about 30 weeks pregnant with Charlotte. Ah, what a sweet time that was. So, as I said in the "May Flowers" post, it has been and apparently will continue to be an emotional month, for all the right reasons. 

We enjoyed a long leisurely tea & coffee date on the back porch watching the cardinals eat their breakfast from our bird feeder. We called our Mommy's and thanked them for the way they love us. As each year passes (and we are deeper into this parenting journey) we experience more gratitude for the way our parents loved & cared for us as children & for the relationships we have with them now. As we sat, Eloise took her morning nap & Charlotte worked on gluing some shapes onto a piece of paper. I was feeling better by the minute ; ) 

Our original plan included worship at CCC before heading to Tampa with Hugo, Juanita & Matilda.  Due to our infectious state, we nixed the first part & picked up our friends around 11. We shared with them about how sick we had been & they made the decision to expose themselves by riding in the car with us. What great friends they are ; ) It was SO fun to make use of the Expedition & all its seats.  Char & Mati were in the back row, Elo rode between Juanita & me then the guys took the driver & shotgun spots.

We arrived at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park which is next to the Children's Museum. We ate our lunch and enjoyed a little breeze before heading over to the water fountains. 

Elo was thinking, "how can I get up there like the big girls?!"

Hugo was Eloise's second father on Mother's Day. He just can't get enough snuggles & grins out of her! He let her wear his Iron Man hat. Robby joked saying "she crawled, rode her tricycle" to complete the race. Funny thought.

Juanita & I attempted to get a picture that included all three kids but it didn't work out as planned. So here we are with our big girls : ) When I look at this picture, all I can see is the picture of us at Matilda's first birthday party....my how they have changed! At that point, we were wondering if Char would ever have hair or not to mention....teeth!

After lunch, the girls got into their swimmers & made a bee line for the fountains or as Char called "mountains" for some reason. 

Char and Mati know just what to do & were happy to run all over, through & around the "mountains." Elo was a little unsure of the spraying water. She figured it couldn't be too bad considering bath time is kind of similar when your bath buddy is a two year old that likes to turn the water on & cup her hand under the spout so it sprays you in the face OR do Shamu-like jumps into the tub causing large splashes. It took Eloise about 10 minutes before she decided it was safe to approach. She was SO cute when she would crawl a bit then turn around & look at me to smile as if to make sure it was okay. I kept cheering her on & she kept crawling until she made it! She really did have a good time & I am guessing the fun will only increase when she is on two feet : )

Mati & her umbrella.  We did drive through some drizzling rain but she mainly used it to shield her from the spraying fountain.....and to pose for an adorable picture : ) 

After we wore everyone out, we dried off & got the girls dressed.  We drove a couple miles over to Ybor City where we strolled around a bit. Char and Mati were in great moods despite missing a nap.  I love how much these two enjoy each other! Charlotte has called her "Mati" for a long time now but in the recent weeks she has been correcting us & saying "Her name is not Mati! It's Ma-ti-da!"

We ate an early dinner at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company before making the trek back to Orlando.  We did this same trip for Mother's Day last year and were really excited to include friends this time around.  I guess it's a tradition now : )

So, here is a picture of the two that made me a Mommy, my most challenging & most rewarding occupation yet! I love you Charlee & Elo, being your Mommy is the best!