Valentine's Day 2013

My sweet Valentine had a very busy day at school!!  Thank goodness because I ended up leaving work very late, and Aunt Lindsey was kind enough to pick him up (Early at that and took him to the park!  It was a gorgeous day today, and she has a friend in town from Connecticut, so they took him to play!)  By the time I got home he was eating dinner, and I was/am absolutely exhausted.  As always I'm so very thankful we have Lindsey in our lives...without her, well I honestly don't know what I would do.  

This morning I dropped Tate off at daycare with a rose for each of the 13 other teachers at the school along with a small bag of Hershey kisses for each of them.  For his teacher, he had dozen roses and some candy.  We put his Valentines...cute little bags of miniature playing cards, Mickey Mouse bubbles and a Thomas character stamp in each of his 4 little friends' boxes.  I left the fruit I provided for their Valentine lunch...grapes, cantaloupe and apple slices, and a children's book called 'The Story of Valentine's Day' for his teacher to read if she wanted to.  We brushed Tate's teeth in the school bathroom like we do every morning and then he scampered off to play with his friends!  But not before demanding a BIG kiss on his cheek...this is new for him! And he always wants a big hug.  I so love this boy.  And this morning he insisted I give sweet Alie and BIG kiss on her cheek and a hug.  Someone has a Valentine!!  (Of course he has to share her with the BFF.)

Look at my sweet boy!

Around 9am an organization called Tiny Texans came by with some ponies for the kiddos to ride!!  They dress the kids up in western gear and take pictures and give rides!  I had outfitted Tate in his 'western' shirt, and he was ready.  As a background...Go Texan Day is in about a week and a half.  The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo starts in about a week and a half.  On the Friday before the show starts the following week Go Texan Day is celebrated.  Everyone, and I mean everyone from kids to adults to dogs and cats dresses up in their western gear.  It's celebrated in most if not all schools.  That Friday the trail riders from all over the state arrive at Memorial Park, their last stop before they arrive at Reliant for the rodeo.  We saw the trail riders come in last year after his school's celebration for Go Texan Day.  It's alot of fun.  So the kiddos were all duded up today for their rides on the ponies.  Here's Tate with his little classmates.  It's very obvious these five children adore each other.  They have been together for over 2 years.  I love how much they love one another.

After their pony rides the kids returned to their classrooms.  They have gymnastics on Thursday mornings, so the kids who are enrolled, which includes Tate, went off to gymnastics.  Here's Tate waiting for gymnastics...

I would love to know what he's thinking!

Tate's teacher changed him into his Valentine shirt before gymnastics...a Thomas shirt of course!  They then had pizza, chips and fruit for lunch.  Tate dragged his feet about going to sleep, not napping until an hour and 40 minutes had passed.  His teacher let him sleep 20 minutes past the normal 'wake up' time :)

Snack was cupcakes (and Tate had his little vegan cake that he loves), and then they played and played.  Then Aunt Lindsey and Mr. Mike picked him up and off they went to the playground.

I got home and opted to give him a special treat...TV on a weekday!!  I let him watch a few episodes of 'Curious George';  Tate was in heaven.  

I took a few pictures of my Valentine reading his 'Polar Express' book to his Mickey Mouse Valentine and his beloved hippo right before bathtime.

He reads that book every single out loud to his hippo, and I must say he does a great job.

After our baths I got him dressed in his Valentine pjs (no commentary Pi Pal of mine!!!!) and decided we needed a picture together this Valentine's Day no matter how tired I look.

And then there's a couple of my lovable little guy...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!