MOST Delicious. Snack. Ever

A couple of hours ago I was trying to cook dinner (yes, husband...if you are reading this it's true! I am cooking dinner tonight!) and my four year-old daughter and her friend were playing around on a counter near me. I was only half paying attention to what they were saying, but I was catching snippets like, "Take out the banana; she's allergic to banana," and, "Don't look, Mommie. It's a surprise."

I was starting to get frustrated...I needed the counter space and my kitchen isn't nearly as spacious as my last, which sometimes irritates me irrationally. I was about to ask the girls to take it someplace else, when I thought to myself that I really ought to figure out what it was they were doing. So, being the cool mom I am, I eavesdropped and spied on them.

*giggle*
"More butter!"
*giggle*
"It's MY turn to stir!"
*giggle*
"Mom, don't look, it's a secret snack for you!"
*giggle*
"Where is the salt?"
*giggle*
"Mom, bring us the salt but don't look!"
*giggle*
"Put some candy in there."
*giggle*
"MY turn to stir now!"
*giggle*
"More grapes."
*giggle*
"More grapes."
*giggle*
"More grapes."
*giggle*
"Mommie, we need salt!"
*giggle*
"And un-yee-ons."
*giggle*

This went on for quite some time. I had to pretend I wasn't watching the creation. I faked not noticing the humongous (at least three tablespoons) fingerprint-laden pat of butter snuggled next to smooshed banana, some papery garlic skins, a lemon-skin punch biopsy, and shrapnel from lacerated grapefruit remnants.

While I watched, my memory whisked me back when I was in lower grade-school and would gather flower blossoms and crush them into a bowl filled with water. I would create a thick emulsion that I would then strain into an old ketchup bottle...and call it perfume. I remembered how proud I was of my "perfume," and how excited I was to present my mom with my offering. Her response was invariably enthusiastic; she would carefully tap my concoction behind her ears and on her wrists, and then sniff with what was clearly a discerning nose. Imagine my pride when my creations were greeted with approval!

Those memories flooded in, and I readjusted my perspective. I went from pretending I didn't know what was going on to full-on participation. Ignoring the dinner preparations for a mere five minutes or so, I indulged them. I even ate a butter-caked grape (gack)(I mean, Super Delish!). Once I was done with my performance, they were done with me and went on to dress the Cutest. Puppy. Ever. in clothes that no self-respecting Havanese should have to endure.

This Mommy learning-curve is...unpredictable.