Baking and Cooking

Snow day.....another day mostly inside.....what oh what to do. Bake and cook - what else?! I went into work this morning while Tim & Eli hung out and had a lunch date with Ryan. I got home during Eli's nap which allowed me to get dinner in the crock pot - yummy country style steak, good old fashioned Southern comfort food to beat the cold. As soon as I got it in and cleaned up, Eli woke from him nap. He & I baked chocolate chip cookies and had fun. He kept eating chocolate chips out of the measuring cup - he is so my child!! He wasn't interested in the dough, yet, and he didn't even eat one when we finished but he'll get there. We did have a lot of fun in the process though and practiced our counting and motor skills. Afterwards, some of the neighborhood kids came over to enjoy cookies and spend a few minutes playing with Eli.

Stirring together flour, baking soda and salt

Measuring and pouring brown sugar

Checking out what he'd put in the bowl

Mommy & Eli - I need to make him a cool boy-ish apron

Sneaking chocolate chips

And the crock pot of yummy country style steak and gravy - it was so good!

One thing I'm learning in this weather that keeps us inside is that I CAN do this Mommy thing. I'm growing into the creative Mommy who shares most everything with her kid (and soon to be kids). Eli loves hanging out with me no matter where I am or what I'm doing. I can still do all my normal house things, it just takes a little longer with an 18 month old helping. I'm letting go of some of that rigid personality and "have to do it now" attitude and letting Eli be a part of it. It's so much fun and I hope to continue to develop and grow into that Mommy I want to be.