It all started late yesterday afternoon as we were driving back from the zoo. I was exhausted after having walked about 1,289 miles in the past four hours while we looked at every.single.animal the zoo had to offer. My feet hurt. I was caffeine-deprived from not having the pleasure of my afternoon crack-high cuppa. I was worn out. So as we got into the car, I joked to Gracie, “Okay, you’re cooking dinner for us, Grace.”
“Okay!” she enthusiastically agreed way too quickly.
I thought she knew it was a joke and wasn’t gonna happen, but when we got home, she was dead set on cooking dinner. My hint was when I walked in the door and she already had a can of spaghettios under the can opener and was trying to make it work.
“Freeze, pipsqueek!” I had to yell as I put down my backpack, keys, and assorted zoo paraphernalia. The girl wasn’t gonna let me talk her out of making dinner. Thankfully, she did seem willing to let me help her a little with the potentially destructive can opener. Although, looking back on it, that might have been because the circuit had to be reset and she couldn’t figure out why the can opener wasn’t working. Sigh. So I helped her line up the can and get that started. She moved the sharp can lid into the sink while I averted my eyes from the potential ER visit. Then she asked demanded that I get down a big bowl and two small ones – so she could scoop the contents of the can into the big bowl to heat it up and set the other bowls on the counter to eat out of, natch.
Gracie managed to get the bowl o’ spaghettios into the microwave on her own and lowered herself to ask me how long they needed to cook. She fetched the (lukewarm) bowl out all on her own and divvied up the contents for her and her sister. She got their leftover glasses of milk out of the fridge and asked her sister to get them some spoons. As they sat down at the table to eat their lukewarm, but always disgusting spaghettios, Gracie was as happy as a clam. And so, so proud.
I was, too. Although I will admit to thinking how quickly I could teach her to make a pork tenderloin. Mmmmm…
March 29, 2010 at 8:10 am |
Oh, that is awesome! Keep working with her. My friend’s son made the entire family a Thai dinner the other night -he is 11 or 12. Just think, in a few more years you will be all set dinner wise. My son loves to be in the kitchen. I can get him to help with dinner almost every night. My daughter – not-so-much.
March 29, 2010 at 8:13 am |
You’re funny! I remember the spaghettio days … and two little girls that always wanted to “help” …. YIKES. When they were older, I did let them cook their brains out and, as a result, one of them is an amazing cook, the other still makes reservations.
March 29, 2010 at 11:53 am |
Someones getting an EZ bake oven for her birthday!
March 29, 2010 at 4:48 pm |
Oh, Katie, this is so sweet in so many ways! It brings me back to the old days!
March 29, 2010 at 5:44 pm |
What a job by Gracie! First spaghettios, next, cookies, and eventually, Beef Wellington. Wrapped in bacon.
March 30, 2010 at 12:35 pm |
Personally I love Spaghetti-Os! LOL Good job letting her do this on her own, Mom!