valentine's day is huge when you are 3 1/2. it is practically as exciting as christmas. the whole notion of writing valentines to everyone you know as well as anticipating them from everyone you know is almost too much. she was practically exploding this morning.

it has brought back vivid memories of covering a shoebox in construction paper, cutting a slot in the top, decorating it with doilies, and watching it fill up with all sorts of little notes.

carter had his 18 month checkup today. all is well, 91st %ile for height and 39th for weight. he continues to hate the little scale, and when i put him up there on it, all naked and perched on the metal tray and told him that he had to let go, his little lip started trembling, and slowly his face crumpled, but he never made a sound. he just hovered on the edge of crying, quivering lips and all. fortunately it took about 20 seconds. of course, he had to get shots, as we are technically 5 behind--we begged off when we were in for his 15 month appointment, because he was sick, and we were already behind at that point. i hate to do a bunch at a time, so i kept generating a debt with each visit. so he had chicken pox (both of us are still grumbling about that one), and 2 other boosters. mmr has been successfully put off til he is 2. i just looked at her and said, "i have an irrational but psychologically significant fear of that vaccine, and i would be a much saner person if we could put it off." she was fine with that. and now he walks around patting his legs and saying "mmmmhhhhmmmmmm" --translation: "some insane lady inflicted tremendous pain on me right here in my thighs, and i remember it, so now can i have some candy?"