Happy Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day.  I have never been a huge fan of this holiday.  It is fun when you are a Valentine's Day winner.  To be honest, I was usually a winner.  There were a couple lonely years, but most of the time I had a date.  I am unsure why I never became enamored of this day of love.  I suppose it just seemed silly to me.  I am of the opinion that if you love someone, you should show them your love daily.  If you do show your love daily, you do not need proof on one specific day in February.

Each year since Sweet Pea entered our lives, someone has been ill on Valentine's Day.  I'm not talking about a common cold either.  I am talking about the tummy flu.  Every year.  The first year, Sweet Pea was only four weeks old.  Husband came home from work ill.  I think that is the only year was afflicted.  The other years it was either Sweet Pea or I, until last year it was Panda Girl.  So far this year seems to be flu free.  I refuse to be premature in my declaration of health because we still have a few hours to go on this Valentine's Day.

This year I planned for the inevitable illness.  I kept our schedule totally open this weekend anticipating the onslaught of puke.  Other years I have not taken these steps and always had to cancel plans at the last minute.  So here is the question I have been asking myself: Is it better to anticipate the worst or is it better to hope for the best?  Should I have planned something fun this year for Husband and I?  Is disappointment better or worse than loss of anticipation? 

These questions, of course, leads to the following: How often do I do this in my daily life?  Do I plan for the worst so much that I miss out on the joy of anticipating happiness?  Or, am I simply realistic?  I like to think of myself as a realist.  I reject that we are all either optimists or pessimists.  I think I can be either, it just depends on the situation.  Take tonight as an example. As mentioned earlier, I did not make plans.  However, we did go out for Valentine's Day.  We dressed the girls up and hit the road.  At first we tried a couple of more popular favorites, they all had unreasonable waits (seriously, what toddler is going to wait an hour to be seated?).  We ended up at a small Indian restaurant.  It is a place we go to regularly, if not often.  They graciously seated us and were prompt with the food and reasonable with the price.  The little ladies just shared our food.  There were no meltdowns.  There was some bargaining/bribing.  There were some distracting games.  However, it was a fun evening.  The little ladies got to enjoy a special night out with their parents (they are, of course, our valentines too) and we have a happy memory of our first successful Valentine's Day as parents.

I do not think a pessimist would have set out on this dinner journey tonight.  However, I was also realistic enough to know my little ladies' limits.  We were pushing them enough without expecting them to meet impossible standards.  Overall I am thankful we took the chance to go out.  Sitting home would have seemed too mundane.  We have mundane all the time.  We do not have reasons to go out and celebrate each day.  I am so glad we did today.