My oldest daughter Evie is 2.5 years old, and I'm looking forward to to celebrating Valentine's Day as she understands the love and fun of the holiday this year. Last year we celebrated by making dough hand prints, and this year we have celebrated all month long! I found a little tin mailbox (similar to this) and have been leaving goodies in there for her to find when she wakes in the morning. I'm a little overbearing about sweet treats, so her mailbox treasures have been stickers, cookie cutters, and fruit snacks. She doesn't know Valentine's Day is all about the candy for many, and I plan to keep it that way!

My girls are so little and are just as entertained by $1 bouncy balls as they are elaborate gifts, so my focus for them around any holiday is making memories and enjoying experiences together. I took Evie on a Starbucks date for some hot chocolate earlier this week while my mom watched Norah (as a side note, Evie spilled about half of her drink across various locations in the store. . .) We've made heart-shaped waffles and colored on pictures to share with her friends.

Those quiet demonstrations of love everyday make a greater impact than elaborate demonstrations on rare occasion. My brain is often pulled in so many directions that I frequently find myself physically present but mentally detached. I'm working on being mindfully present with those that I love. Our children are able to skillfully detect if we are really paying attention to them and their behavior is often an indicator of whether or not they feel seen and known. Let's see those sweet faces in front of us.

I hope you make some special memories with your loved ones this Valentine's. Showing our love doesn't have to be complicated- it just requires us to be present and thoughtful. Set aside just a few minutes this week for those you love and enjoy the moment. Laugh, hug, tell stories, watch Elmo, share a cookie. I would love to hear how you celebrate!

My birthday falls right around Christmas, so the month of December is full of merriment for the holidays and contemplative reflection on the past year as I anticipate the one to come. I've been thinking about things that have gone well and things I'd like to change. New traditions to start as we begin 2016 as a family of FOUR.

I've been pondering those intangible gifts. The ones that I want to extend to my family and friends that will last far longer than the latest clothing trend or my toddler's five-minute attention span. This coming year I would like to extend the gift of understanding. I want to spend my moments showing understanding as I give others the space to be themselves and do things differently from me. I've realized that for me, one of the most tangible expressions of understanding is waiting.

Waiting to remind my toddler that she needs to eat her vegetables as she relocates said vegetables to six different locations on her plate. Because her discovery and wonder at lunch are probably a lot more beneficial then my nagging reminders for efficiency.

Waiting to encourage that same toddler to clean up her mess and instead letting her enjoy those wild moments of creativity and imagination where she "fixes" the tomato-paste firetruck with twelve gadgets retrieved from the kitchen drawer.

Waiting to give my newborn a chance to roll over and grab that toy before I automatically rush in to help at her first cries of frustration. Because babies need our trust just as much as we need theirs.

Waiting to make an assumption about my husband's hurried tone and inviting understanding and grace instead of whispers of inaccurate intent.

One of my greatest desires for my daughters is that they would know that they are deeply loved and valued for who they are. When we understand our worth, we can extend that same understanding and value to those around us. So here's to an upcoming year full of understanding. And patience too. Lots of patience.

I hope you have a joyful Christmas and a hopeful start to 2016!