Valentine baking
If one thing is for certain I have a little guy who loves to bake. Now every day while I am fixing his breakfast or lunch he goes to our bookshelf, finds my Martha Stewart Baking Handbook, gently takes off the jacket and brings it to me in the kitchen. He looks up at me with his large doe eyes and says "ginger ba ba" which means "gingerbread" which translates to " Can we please make some cookies?" Most days, I can resist his pleas to bake by distracting him with the mail truck outside or asking him if he would like to help me with the laundry instead. However, on this particular day I was feeling in the mood to bake myself and so Valentine sugar cookies it was.
Just as I was finished laying out the ingredients he was dumping and pouring and mixing away. He quickly poured the vanilla in with the egg and then started mixing the flour and the butter together. I applaud his enthusiasm, but as the butter and sugar was creaming I was curious how the addition of flour might effect it. Baking is a lot like being a mother. Some people will tell you there is an exact science to it, but most people are just winging it as they go. A little of this, a little of that. You find the recipe that works for you and then keep it on repeat until something more fool proof comes along.
I love Jasper's fearlessness in the kitchen! He is eager to help and is already a pro at using the whisk and is doing his best to master pouring. There is just something so fun and yet entirely exhausting about baking with a toddler.
As quickly as the paddle on my mixer stops, I have a little hand grabbing large chunks of cookie dough from the bowl. He is obviously less interested in the end result and more interested in the making and the taste testing.
I am grateful for this little one who fills my days with so much love and laughter. I often wish he would stay little forever, but then I would miss out on the joy of watching him grow.
A few sprinkles, a little ribbon and a couple boxes later we have gifts packaged up for friends and a stack of "J" sugar cookies made specifically for Jasper.
