Muffins with Mom

Beck took an early afternoon nap today, so he was up during my normal dinner prep time. Not that he was having a bad day, but he was having a not-really-into-occupying-himself kind of day. He took up permanent residence in the kitchen, completely ignoring Barney and his blocks, becoming my shadow as I moved about the kitchen. Thus, dinner prep suddenly turned into a how can I successfully incorporate my toddler into my baking tasks?

I tried avoidance at first, ignoring the fact that he was really underfoot. I might have also tried a piece or two of candy corn to distract him while I rummaged through the pantry for ingredients. After making a batch of vegetable barley soup with the wee one entangled in my legs and begging for more candy corn from the jar on the window ledge, I decided it was going to be all but impossible to whip up a batch of chocolate chip pumpkin muffins with that nagging sensation {literally} clinging to my lower limbs.

So, I decided that Beck was just going to have to bake with me. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, that he could successfully handle a wooden spoon, and decided to make lemonade out of lemons. Er, muffins out of madness. I pulled a chair up to the sink, stood him on it right next to the counter, and buddy, we were in business.

He watched patiently while I added in pumpkin puree and cracked eggs and added cups of sugar. He pointed inquisitively at the batter, babbling about whatever it was I was doing. Then I handed him the spoon and let him mix.

And, guess what?

He loved it. Even following directions successfully. Not adding ingredients to the appropriate measurement, of course, but not sticking his fingers into the bowl though he desperately wanted to. He kept repeating mii mii, explaining that he was mixing. My socks were charmed right off by his cuteness.

So, together, we made muffins. And it was fun. He eventually managed to stick those tiny fingers into the batter, but he was so well behaved, I didn't mind. Plus, who can bake without tasting the batter anyway?

It also reminded me that my baby is getting too big. Crazy big. Big enough to make muffins with his mamma. Sigh...

PS. Go visit my friend Brit to participate in her fun blogiversary giveaway!