Motherhood-Cookies and Kids

The kiddie size table with it's matching chairs sat ready in the kitchen.  I had placed the baking pan in the center and wax paper over the table. 

Now...time to bring in the children.  We were going to make cookies!!!!  

Because my hands were full with three small children, Pillsbury slice and back chocolate chip cookies were a huge help in this endeavor.  Obviously I couldn't give them knives, but I did want to give them freedom to "make" their own cookies.

Each child had their own technique.  With the dough cut in half and placed before them, I gave each a spoon and showed them how to scoop the dough and place it on the pan.

Amanda's eyes lit up.  "I can do that," she said in her 4 1/2 year old voice.  The look of concentration and determination to do it "like Mama" set in.

Foster, known to Amanda as Tossa, was 3 years old at the time.  He took the spoon, stared at it a moment then plunged into the dough.  For every one cookie that made it onto the baking sheet, two wound up in his mouth. 

"Mama, Tossa's eating the cookie dough!" 

I just laughed and reminded Foster that we wouldn't have any cookies for the oven if he kept eating them before he put them on the sheet.  With his blonde curly hair, and wide eyes he simply replied...."but dis is good Mama."

When making cookies with kids, it is not the quantity or even the quality of the final product that is important.  It is the memory created by the moment.