Baking Pumpkin Muffins, Just Me and My Girl

Sometimes when my house needs cleaning, I say screw it to mopping the floor and yes to making a mess in the kitchen with Tory. Baking muffins is one of our favorite things to do together. She loves to wear her pint-sized cupcake apron and demands I sport my apron as well (although it doesn't fit as nicely around my very pregnant belly these days). I let her scoop and mix ingredients in a bowl and I take a gazillion pictures of her licking the mixing paddle because she's so gosh-darn cute.

Yesterday, we made a pumpkin muffin recipe from our fall bucket list. This probably isn't the healthiest muffin recipe out there, but it tastes delicious. It's okay to treat ourselves every once and a while, right?

Good thing I skipped cleaning my kitchen beforehand because girlfriend made a mess. She was covered head to toe in flour and orange pumpkin batter by the end. During our morning in the kitchen, I also discovered Tory loves raisins. Not sure why I've never thought to give them to her before, but she gobbled raisins up as fast as I could measure for the recipe.

As soon as I snapped this picture, Tory dumped 2/3 cup of vegetable oil all over the countertop. Missed the mixing bowl - whoops! "Uh oh, Mommy!" she said. I probably let Tory have too much free reign in the kitchen, but I think that's half the fun. There's a lot more mess to clean up than if I'd been doing the mixing solo, but I hope our time together develops into a love of cooking when she grows older. I don't remember helping my mom in the kitchen when I was little and it wasn't until I was married and had to cook that I learned my way. Heck, I'm still learning my way. Cooking is a measure in patience, trial and error and following direction. Those aren't bad skills for a little girl to learn. 

And yes, that's a potty chair in the background of these photos. We're in the midst of toilet-training around here and I assure you, there was lots of hand-washing taking place. I only wish I posted naked baby photos on the Internet because I snapped the most adorable picture of her bare bottom under that apron!

I enjoy play dates and our trips to the library, but smetimes chill days at home are just what the doctor ordered. What a great day with my little girl. These are the moments I'll cherish forever.