Sweets

It's still dark. The house is quiet.

Neither Henry nor I are morning people and he has us both up too early for a fair chance at a happy start to the day.

I hoist him out of his crib and onto my hip. He nuzzles his warm, sleepy head into my neck, eyes still closed, and together we lumber to my bed and nestle in next to Papa.

We say nothing to each other, while we try in vain to recapture some of last night's moments of sweet sleep before the day begins without us.

I shift under his 2-year-old frame, which is much too big for this type of snuggling, but we try anyway.

He grunts and shifts.

I sigh.

In a whisper that is almost inaudible, Henry says: "I love you."

I smile.

Neither of us are morning people, but today is turning into an exception.

***

Close your eyes and imagine these not-quite-rhyming phrases sung in a pitch that's uncomfortably high and slightly out of tune and you'll hear Calvin's Valentine song to me:

"You're sweet and I love you,

You walk so far.

And the bestest thing I can give you is,

A-a-a-a heart!"

***

The week had been a rough one. I was overwhelmed by Tuesday, down in the dumps by Wednesday and found myself Thursday with a case of the mean reds.

I closed out Friday night in tears and woke Saturday morning with a husband finally home from his business trip and a break from solo parenting and running children around. The weekend was looking better.

I spent the morning playing with the boys, while Nick ferried Lili to ballet. And by noontime, something magical arrived at the front door. It was this:

There she was; a striking beauty with the sun glinting off her sequined headband and sending caramel streaks through her tightly wound ballerina's bun.

Her navy blue wool coat swung like a bell over her slender legs in their pale-pink tights as she pushed back the storm door and presented me with a trumpet of red roses and white lilies wrapped in cellophane.

And behind her stood her handsome Papa with groceries and a dinner plan.

They each took credit for the flowers and both gave me hugs and kisses.

It was help that I had been needing all week, and the weekend brought it. But the flowers and sunshine sent it over the top

***

Looking for more sweets? Visit the Bigger Picture bloggers today for enough sugar to keep you satisfied till Valentine's Day.