You Are My Happy Place

Every holiday, I try to find books or activities that help the girls begin to understand the significance of the holiday.  While I'm not sure that Groundhog's Day made much sense to either of them, they seem to "get" the idea that Valentine's Day is about celebrating love.  One of the books I found at the library was You Are My I Love You by Maryann K. Cusimano.  What a poetic book!  I was hooked by the very first page:

I am your parent;
you are my child.
I am your quiet place;
you are my wild.

As I was gathering the book up with the others to return to the library last night, I got a flash of inspiration to use the structure of the book to write my own poem for my girls.  Here is the poem I wrote for Katy and Bayla; perhaps this will be the start of a Valentine tradition!

I am your Mommy;
you are my little girl.
I am your cozy hold;
you are my tilt-a-whirl.

I am your cup of water;
you are my juice.
I am your please and thank you;
you are my cut loose.

I am your shoes and coat;
you are my racing past.
I am your slow it down;
you are my speeding fast.

I am your shepherd;
you are my sheep.
I am your naptime;
you are my no time for sleep.

I am your right-side-up;
you are my upside-down.
I am your crafting fun;
you are my dance around.

I am your seek;
you are my hide.
I am your safety net;
you are my slide.

I am your hand hold;
you are my climb.
I am your bedtime story;
you are my made-up rhyme.

I am your beaded necklace;
you are my smudgy face.
I am your Mommy nest;
you are my happy place.

Happy Valentine's Day to Katy and Bayla (and to you, too!)