Random Reflections of a CPA turned Stay-at-Home Mom of Three under Four

The Mara Joy Cooking Show

It’s Friday night. After dinner, Daniel suggested that he and Mara could make cookies for a little fun father-daughter time.

Last week, Mara and I made cookies from a Funfetti cake mix. Kids love those cakes with the colorful sprinkles in the mix, and making the cookies couldn’t be easier. Just add eggs & oil, stir it up, roll the dough into balls, press them down, and bake! Of course, Mara “helped” . . . or didn’t help at all, but we had a great time nonetheless! She would try to roll a ball–which would turn out like a little glob–and hurl it onto the cookie sheet, without regard to the previous placement of other cookies. But it was fun seeing her try!? So Daniel suggested that he and Mara could make those same cookies again.

That was when Mara piped up! I will include Mara’s words and Mommy’s translations:

“Roll it! Roll it!” she said “rolling” imaginary cookies between her hands.

Then she held her hands out flat. “Sheet! Sheet!” Place them on the cookie sheet.

“Ah-nen!” [put them in the oven] “Hah! Hah!” [Hot, she said of the oven, holding one hand up.]

“Bee-beep! Bee-beep!” That’s the timer going off. :-)

“Eesh!” Then she stuck her index finger in her mouth and pulled it out. [This means "eat" the cookies.]

Finally, she added, “Mulk! Mulk!” Yes, there must be milk with cookies!

That’s right, Mara! You’ve got this cookie baking down!!! I think you can show Daddy how to do it!

Look out, Rachel Ray!!

Posted on November 8th, 2008 by Becky
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The Grocery Store Lecture

Over the summer, Mara struggled quite a bit with discipline, particularly whenever we went to the store. She might stand defiantly in the shopping cart seat or, when I was not supposed to be picking her up, she might refuse to hold my hand walking into the store. This behavior is simply unacceptable for several reasons, including her safety. So for several months now, I’ve been giving her the “grocery store lecture” in the parking lot right before we get out of the car. I want to make sure the expectations are clear. It goes something like this:

“Mara, we’re going to the grocery store now. When we get out of the car, you need to obey Mommy. If we’re walking, and I say ‘hold my hand,’ you need to hold my hand! If you’re in the shopping cart, and I say, ‘sit down,’ you need to sit down! You need to obey Mommy. . . ” Up to this point, I’m pretty stern, and you can always see her little wheels turning, processing all this. At the end, I try to reassure her: “I think you will obey, because I think you want to be a good girl!” and I give her a smile and a hug as we get out of the car.

Well, on Thursday afternoon, we pulled into the Shoprite parking lot, and I was sticking something in the diaper bag, when Mara looked at me, questioningly and asked, “Walk? Walk?”

Then with a stern expression and furrowed brow, she said, “Hand! Hand! [that was either me saying 'hold my hand' or else Mara assuring me that if I let her "walk," she would hold my hand].

She continued, “OH-bay! OH-bay!? . . . GOOD girl!!!” Then she gave me a big smile.

Wow, something inside me felt torn between laughing and crying. Laughing, because it was the cutest lecture ever, so perfectly “rehearsed,” but at the same time, I somehow felt like crying, realizing just how much she comprehends and how much she remembers . . . She just gave me the entire grocery store lecture!

It’s humbling, sobering to realize that she remembers so much and notices every little word, every little gesture, and repeats them!

“May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord. . .”

Posted on November 7th, 2008 by Becky
Filed under: Becky's Thoughts, General Family News, Mara Joy | No Comments »