By now you've blackmailed an unsuspecting teenager into babysitting. You've made dinner reservations. Maybe you've bought some jewelry, some roses, a bottle of wine. You're ready to spend some quality time with your spouse while your kids get high on sugar and late-night TV. You're ready for Valentine's Day ... at least you thought so.
Mom blogger Susie J. recounts the so many ways I don't know how to say I love you. "Behind the Veil" -- a kiss that involves a sandbox. The wall kiss, movie star kiss, the hot breath kiss, cherry kiss, mafia kiss. I need to start renting better porn or go back to middle school, because none of these are ringing any bells.
That's not to say I don't know a few of my own. Parenting provides fertile ground, so to speak, for a wide range of kisses:
The middle-of-the-night feeding kiss -- which usually lands on the forehead or elbow, as your spouse rolls over for another hour of precious sleep while you trudge into the nursery.
The date night kiss -- a hurried, torrid coupling before you drive the $15-an-hour sitter home. (The coupling is with the spouse, by the way. Get your head out of the gutter -- sheesh.)
The hall pass kiss -- a very quick peck on the cheek before your sprint out the door for a few beers with the guys.
I'm sure I'm missing more than a few. Any others?
