baking

The other day I decided that Jr was ready to help with baking.  I got her up to the counter with a chair so she could reach.  She was so excited to be helping me.  I put the flour in the bowl and told her to start stirring.  I know flour doesn't need to be stirred, but it kept her busy.  She stirred a bit and then picked up the spoon and tasted the flour and said, "mmmmmmmmm!" As I added the sugar, butter, and other ingredients she did the same thing.  After the cake was poured into the pan and put in the oven, we got to lick out the bowl together.  She enjoyed that as well, for about a minute, then she was bored and went off to play. 

After the cake was done and cooled, we had a piece, she was so excited to be eating the cake.  Her Grandma came to pick her up the next day and she even offered her Grandma a piece of cake.  When she sees the container on the counter, she takes it off and tries to open it up.  Good thing she hasn't figured that out yet.

Back to work

I went back to work today after having Halloween plus 3 days off due to a doctor's note.  I discovered that I missed Jr like crazy.  I missed her giggle, her running into the kitchen to roar at me, her asking for things in a language I don't understand, etc.  But what can I do, I need money to pay things off and to save for her education. 

Today I thought I would teach her "Ring Around the Rosie"  She loved it.  I had to remind her to fall down all the time, but she loved it.  She would make sure she fell down right beside me and then looked up to the ceiling and ask, "What's that?"  Usually it was one of the deer heads hanging on our wall, sometimes it was just the ceiling itself, it is stippled, and once it was the fan light.

I started something with her that I am not sure it was a good idea now. A couple of nights ago, I drew on the back of each of her hands a happy face.  I first of all told her it was because she was good.  One of the faces was your typical happy face, the other, the face had it's tongue sticking out.  Now she wants it every night.  She will actually climb up on the computer desk and get the marker for me, or try to do it on her own hands with crayons.  Not too sure if it is something that her Dad will keep up if I am not home, but we will see.

I am going to make play dough for my Mother-in-Law's two adopted boys and for Mr. Viking's step nephew's step son for Christmas.  I am using a cooked play dough recipe that I found on-line.  I made some for Jr and it has been a month, it has been in a sealed container and it hasn't even thought of going hard or crumbly or anything like that.  I know when I worked in the daycare, we used a cooked play dough because it was the best type out there and it would last for months.  It makes a huge lump, so I figure I could easily divide it up in three for each of the boys.  Here is the recipe:


2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water

4 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cream of tarter

food colour
Mix dry ingredients
Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl
Add together in a saucepan
Cook on low until the dough thickens to play dough consistency

I then kneed it for a bit and then put in an air tight container. 

It doesn't taste good according to Jr, who one day decided to take a taste, but it is not toxic.  I like it and I know she likes it as well, she always wants to play with it.

a toddler with a clean house is an oximoron

So I have been trying for almost two years to keep my house clean since having Jr.  I have found it more and more difficult now that she is so mobile and so busy.  I clean up the living room, just to turn around and see she has all her toys out again.  I never even got to the point of sweeping or mopping it yet. I could do it all when she is sleeping, but I am usually so exhausted by then, that I fall right asleep with her.  I am wondering if I will ever get the house clean. 

I also think of our basement.  Well I really don't want to think of our basement.  We have a room that is useless down there.  Well I am sure the mice find it quite useful as that seems to be their entrance into our 1930's house.  It is the old coal room.  I want to go in there and clean up that room.  I would love to make it a storage room, but I would first have to block access to the entrance of where the mice come in.  I would also have to put a light in there.  We bait the mice who come into our house, so I really don't want to take Jr down there while I am cleaning, never mind I am almost afraid what I will find down there as for the mice who took the bait. 

I know someday, I will find the time and energy to keep my house clean.  I will even get help from Jr.  But as for now, I think I will satisfied that she is healthy and happy, and my house can wait.

Things are just getting fun

I have just noticed how much my daughter, Jr, has changed and things are beginning to get fun.  She is showing now that she is understanding me and everyone around her.  She is discovering how funny things on tv and in movies are.  I am so glad that we have done our job so far and she is such a good child, even though she is spoiled.

My husband, Mr Viking, has been gone hunting the last few days.  Jr is calling for her Daddy and I tell her that he is gone hunting.  A new word for her.  I know she doesn't quite understand what hunting is, but it is different from the usual, "Daddy's at work."  He has called and they have talked on the phone. I know that by next year, they will actually have a conversation that both will be able to totally take part in. 

She has been so good while he has been gone.  Even though I am sick, she hasn't pushed too much to see what she can get away with.  Which is nice.  I have a throat and bladder infection.  She is helping to clean up and lets me know that something has happened that is bad, like a tripod that her dad put on the spare bed that fell to the floor.  I hear an "Oh-oh!" and she comes running. 

I discovered yesterday that she doesn't like popcorn.  I mean who doesn't like popcorn?  I guess she would rather eat peas.  I also gave her a small bag of chips from her booty she got trick or treating.  They were plain flavoured and she hid each chip under the recliner chair in the living room.  I guess she doesn't like them either.  If she grows up not liking chips, I am okay with that. 

We are potty training currently.  Sometimes I think she is too stubborn to want to train.  She can hold her pee all night if need be.  She can hold it when we go out shopping for hours.  She just doesn't want take the time to pull down her underwear and sit on the potty.  It is a case of who is more stubborn, Mommy or Jr.  We will see who prevails. 

Crafts are another thing that we are just started to get into.  I am not crafty myself, so this is a challenge for me as well.  I just try and remember things from working in the daycare.  As I come up with things that I remember and when I get a book from SIAST that they use for teaching ECE that has all the recipes and whatnot in it, I will just be smoking along.  I will post different craft ideas as I come up with them. 

That is all for now.  I will post as often as I can, all about being a Mommy.