Since I just wrote about cooking with the kids I was reminded of a funny story that happened recently that I thought some of you would enjoy.
We had been outside when Naomi gathered some rosemary from the garden and told me she was going to take it in and cook me something very special. This is nothing unusual, she has many times before taken rosemary into her play kitchen and pretended to cook with it. So, while she went in to cook/play Ethan and I stayed outside.
After about 5-10 minutes Naomi returned outside carrying a cup filled with a concoction, smiling from ear to ear with bright purple down the middle part of her lips, and rainbow colored fingers. She proudly announced how she had cooked me something VERY special. She was befuddled when I asked why her lips and fingers were stained. So I went inside the house to investigate... I found that this time Naomi had gone into my kitchen and gotten my best pan out, a whisk, measuring utensils, water, quite a few spices, and several of my icing coloring pastes. Apparently, she tried to pour her concoction from the pan to the cup, so a brightly colored mixture was dripping from the counter onto the floor and lower cabinets.
I was stunned - she has never done that before! I really just wanted to laugh my head off, but I thought better of it and decided to keep a straight face and remind her that she can't get in the kitchen and use my stuff without asking first. I figured that since her lips and fingers were stained for a while that would be punishment enough! Plus, she really was trying to be sweet and only trying to be grown-up. Maybe she'll be on "Iron Chef" one day!
