Saturday, June 11, 2011

Baking (and other stuff)


So getting home at 2 does not make for an easy morning when you have to get up. But this morning, Peter came home from work, dragged me out of bed, fed me scrambled eggs and then we went to our preschool work party. For two and a half hours we built chain link fence (Peter) and trimmed bushes and moved boxes (me). When we drove out of there we were officially done with all our commitments to the coop - every check has been written, and committee job has been done. Whew. Done done done.

We picked up the kids at my parents and in the afternoon, Peter took Mr. T to a birthday party while Miss E stayed home with me and made cupcakes for Mr. T's party tomorrow. I am really trying to simplify up the birthday thing so this year, in a nod to what I knew was going to be a busy weekend, I made cupcakes from a box and with pre-made store frosting. I've never done this before, as I think the store stuff is kind of icky and loaded with trans fats and all other manner of unnatural things but I'm giving in a bit this year and we went the Funfetti route. As a bonus, Miss E was able to make them herself!

I've only been at this parenting thing for 6 and a half years and kids change rapidly but one thing I have learned for sure, is that the more you involve the non-birthday sibling in the planning and preparation for the birthday, the less snarky jealousy you get. My kids love doing nice things for each other and the more you frame a birthday in that manner - the better it comes off for everyone. Miss E was super excited to show me how good she was at reading and cooking by making the cupcakes. I put the dough in the tins and cooked it, but she did everything else. She's kind of awesome.

*On a side note, what the heck am I going to do with her hair????? She doesn't want to wear barrettes, headbands or anything else but it's always hanging in her face. I think we're going to do the really short cut again but she does occasionally want pony tails or braids. Frick. I have barely figured out how to fix my own hair let alone somebody else's. Parenting is hard. 

2 comments:

  1. I cannot STAND S's hair in her face (or my own, hence the very short haircut). We have a very clear deal - hair pulled out of the face in some fashion EVERY DAY or the hair gets cut off. It is entirely her choice... I know that E is different and that tactic might not work. Ooh, I wonder if we could teach her to braid using S's hair, and then she could braid her own out of her face? If any 6 year old could do it, it would be E.

    Oh and PS, I totally love your homemade frosting in particular, but when it comes to most homemade frostings, I would pick Funfetti Transfatti any day.

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  2. The hair is a tough one, Sarah; my mom cut mine short and I cut my daughter’s short. Mine is still short; hers, at 25, grows past her shoulders and is always under control.


    wv griphym - what i do on my way out the door to work often adding a kiss.

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