My King of Hearts

That's me, the Queen of Hearts.

I live upstairs from my niece and nephews, Robert, Jojo and Bella. I hadn't really planned on seeing them yesterday and they get enough candy as it is, don't need any more from me so I didn't get them anything for Valentine's Day. But then I ended up being invited to dinner, and it was Valentine's Day, so now I had to do something! I put together something quick with what I had at home. I have lots of different craft items at home, lots of times just small pieces of left over paper, ribbons, card stock, all which come in handy for last minute Valentine's Day gifts or No Reason Day gifts and keeping Bella busy and quiet when she's up here in my apartment yapping away.

I had the red Twizzlers candy that is individually wrapped, put about 8 or so of them together and made it fall into a bouquet by wrapping a thin red ribbon about an inch from the bottom of my candy bouquet. I used the thin ribbon you can curl up with a scissor to make it a little fancier, had some green card stock paper and cut that into leaves and glued them to a stick and put that in the middle of the Twizzlers bouquet. And adding my own touch, I made my Queen of Hearts card and hung that from the ribbon.

It was a nice bouquet and I should of taken a picture but again it was all last minute and they were done just in time. I just finished when I got the call that dinner was ready. Maybe I'll recreate it next year and plan for it, yeah that's the ticket, I'll make it bigger and better! Robert and Bella noticed everything right away and asked how I made it. Of course Jojo didn't notice right away. I told Robert and Bella how I made it and also told them maybe I could make a deck of cards with their pictures, a lot of work I would guess, but I like it and it also keeps me busy and quiet! Bella was so excited. "Like real cards you can play with Aunt Tricia? Really!"

So when I went downstairs for dinner last night, as usual Bella greeted me as though we haven't seen each other for a month. Robert always says hello and Jojo usually doesn't notice me. I have to get in his face and say hello and then when he's finally ready to pay attention to what's going on around him, he'll say hello to me like I just walked in the house, forgetting I forced a hello out of him ten minutes before.

But I came in with a gift last night and though Jojo still wasn't fully paying attention, because whatever I was giving him couldn't be eaten until after dinner, he looked up quick, no hello, and the first words he says to me were "just licorice?" Just licorice!! No hello and no thank you? Thank you did come next but only after being told to say thank you by his mom. Robert and Bella both said thank you right away and looked at the bouquet, both noticing everything.

Again just being Jojo, it took a little time but he finally really looked at the Twizzlers and noticed it was like a bouquet of flowers and he saw my Queen of Hearts picture. First he said "Aunt Tricia you're my King of Hearts". He had the most loving, sweet face, his big brown eyes sparkling...you know how some people have a sparkle in their eyes, especially when they smile, Jojo has those eyes...melt-you eyes. Jojo can make me and pretty much everyone laugh when he's busting chops or being stubborn, just one word, at the right moment, and he gets you. You walk away shaking your head wondering how does this kid get me every time. And he can melt you the next moment with being just the sweetest mushiest little man. I know after realizing he didn't say thank you right away he made it up with some extra loving to me. I know he means it, but his timing is impeccable!! He went on last night, telling me how much he loved me, being mushy, kissing and hugging and melting my heart. He had me at "you're my King of Hearts".

One day my brother and his wife, Uncle Bob and Aunt Janet, were visiting my brother Joey and the kids. Aunt Janet was already inside, also getting kisses and hugs from Bella like it's been forever since she's see her, but Robert and Jojo were hanging with the rest of the neighborhood 10 year olds, a nice bunch of them who live on their dad's block. They were being too cool. I think we all did that when we were younger, hanging outside with our friends and a relative comes to visit, you ignore them. You're cool, you're hanging. You're not going to be embarrassed by kisses from grandma or Aunt Tilly.

Jojo especially adores his Uncle Bob, his godfather. Since he was a baby the two of them have had a special relationship, but Jojo was being cool that day even to Uncle Bob. He was hanging with his friends. Bob made the mistake of thinking he was cool, he's a guy, the kids were talking sports or setting up a game and he made a comment to the boys. They all ignored him, didn't even look up and Bob went inside laughing about not being cool enough. And right as the screen door was about to close, Bob heard Jojo, in a silly, too cool voice, say "awkward". Bob laughed even more. Timing, the kid has timing.

So first he says I'm his King of Hearts! I told him no, you're my King of Hearts and I'm your queen and he told me I would always be his Queen of Hearts. He made up for his "just licorice" remark and in fact has earned a few extra points for future slip ups and knowing Jojo there will be slip ups!

Jojo, my boy king who made me feel like a queen!