Warm Cookies! Warm memories!

(True Story 4/26/10)
So this is not the first time I made cookies with a four year old and a two year old!
However the big difference this time, is that they are my daughters, not my sons!
While I am sure I have had them help before, they are actually going to make the cookies this time.

It all started this morning when my son announced he would like home-made chocolate chip cookies with M&Ms in them for the treat for Family Home Evening night tonight.

Sure, why not.

I glance out the window to see that the clouds have won their argument over the sun but tears of discontent are falling. The clouds are never satisfied. All in all...gloomy! A perfect day to stay in and feel domestic.

“Come my little prodigies, let’s bond!”

First step, we put on mother-made aprons and compliment each other on how cute we all look.

Second, we gather the bowl. This is Lucie, my two year old’s, job and she does it with great proficiency (it only takes a minute to pick up the other six bowls that end up on the floor).

Third, Sarah helps gather all the ingredients stopping to ask why “this butter is in a can?” pointing to a picture of butter on the shortening.

I explain very carefully that it is shortening, NEVER to be confused with heavenly, REAL butter. This is a ‘must know.’ As a matter-of-fact, I explain knowingly, that I only use it for this recipe and pie crusts sometime.

Up on two chairs they climb, Lucie’s wild curls springing with each excited jump (and my heart pounding as I catch her before she leaps right off the chair....(calm, child, calm!)

I regret that I didn’t do their hair as I notice Sarah’s wild blond, bed-head bangs sticking straight up in an electrocuted stance.

Ah well, what is beauty when there are cookies to be made?

One egg is sacrificed as Lu grabs it and cracks it to pieces on the side of the bowl (who taught her to do that?)

I calm Sarah’s hysterical, “Lucie broke the egg mom! Oh no! The egg!” and explain to Lucie its not time yet.

She glares at her sister with a “Oh, will you just chill?!” look.

Lucie takes her post with a wood spoon stirring everything that goes into ‘her’ bowl.
Once she realizes she will get the bowl back, she willingly allows me to move it over to Sarah who is measuring and dumping.

Sarah is very careful in her measurements and they are so cute gabbing away about ‘this’ and ‘that’.

I turn to take the bowl so I can ‘properly’ stir everything together only to find that Lucie has done an incredible job! What an arm!! She beat that dough better than a session in the wood shed! (Calm down, I don’t even HAVE a woodshed).

It is a joint effort putting the chocolate chips and M&Ms in (I don’t think they all made it in though, proved by blue and orange tounges).

Then I pull out the baking sheets and announce that it is my turn because I need to make sure that the cookies are the correct size.
Despite my declaration both girls scurry down and get spoons of their own.

Like the constant dripping of water on a rock, they beg to help make the ‘balls’.

I try to distract them and ask, “Sarah, what is your favorite part of making cookies?”
She stares at me with a painful look, not being able to scoop out the dough is such agony.
Through adorable, kissable pouty lips she whines, “I like making cookies with you.”

Ahhhh, my sweet little angel faced daughter! Her favorite part is making cookies WITH ME?!

I need another dose of that so I ask again, “What do you like doing best?”
She looks at me waving her empty spoon, scrunching her nose just a tad and says loudly, “I like doing to taste them!!”

I am shattered! So much so, that I try very hard not to laugh.

Both girls are sitting on the table with their empty spoons and such looks of apprehension and longing! I cannot help but smile and shove the bowl toward them and ask if they want to help put the cookies on the sheet.

Shouts of joy and accolades!

They dig in with no reserve and proceed to plop various sized lumps of dough onto the sheet in a myriad of designs. I scoop and teach and show but basically shrug, what does it matter?

I show Sarah where to put her spoonful and then I look to Lucie and see that she is doing a “one scoop to the pan”, “one scoop to her mouth pattern!!”

I tell them they may lick the spoon and scrape the bowl as I pop the cookie sheets into the pre-warmed oven.

After a moment I very seriously explain that part of cooking is cleaning up so when they are done licking the bowl they need to clean up.
Sarah, who is holding the bowl as they scrape it with their spoons, looks up at me questioning.

“Lick the bowl?” She looks at Lucie then puts her whole head inside the bowl and begins to lick it out!

Lucie hollers and grabs it and starts licking also!

Quickly I diffuse the building rage by taking the bowl and telling Lucie she needs to wash it.
What? A bowl full of water and a soapy brush to boot? How can anyone say this isn’t fun?!!

To Sarah I hand a washrag and instruct that she wipe the table off which she does with great gusto (Um, note to self...sweep the floor when she's done!).

We all ooh and ahh over the golden, multi-colored cookies I pull out of the oven. What warmth of memory fill our souls. Now for one little, or uh, big bite!
Squeals of delight!