today was the day we made our valentines. (actually, we started yesterday, but today was really the big push). 756 paper hearts later, we might have enough for each child in her class. it was very hard to get her to stop making hearts for Harvey and start making some for the less alluring folks in her class. however, once she was on a roll, she had an interesting and nice tidbit about everyone...so and so makes this funny fact, sometimes so and so hides under the craft table, so and so is really a calm person....and so on.

she was also in rare form, remarkably even-tempered and mature. i stayed at school today for the whole day, and i have this feeling that gesture made a huge difference. i would stay every day, but i don't think the teachers want carter there all the time. speaking of, he thought it was great.

hopefully we are on the downward slope of this recent bout of needing mommy--it would be nice to have her enjoying again the things that she used to adore. she still refuses to go to ballet, even though i am right there, on the other side of the wall. she says it is because her teacher does not teach her 'real' ballet (thank you angelina) and instead makes her run and jump around and pretend to be snakes and cats. this is ava in a nutshell. play? are you kidding? this is SERIOUS. life is serious. there are important things to do.

in the same vein, both kids have said more than once "don't laugh at me!" -- in response to a chuckle over something they have said or done that is cute or funny or clever. i, of course, stop my smiling or chuckling immediately, apologize and try to explain that i was smiling because i thought it was wonderful, but it is sort of thin ice.

ava may look cute or even funny, and carter may say something that is a riot, but to them, it is very very very serious. to ava, her crazy leaps are the most amazingly beautiful leaps in the world. i don't laugh at baryshnikov, do i? and carter's stories are not for our entertainment. they are important.

one look in their eyes, and you can see when it is important and serious, and if you laugh, you are running the risk of crushing them. and never hearing a story or seeing a dance again.

no pressure there!