Cooking Day...

My kitchen counters are decorated with Lulu's artwork. The one on the left is called "My Mom" and the one on the right is called "My Treasures" (Jacob, a rainbow and a key).
One morning last week, as I was busily trying to edit photos of Mexican orphans that need sponsors, I actually allowed the children to be in the kitchen. This is traditionally a "no kid zone". Mostly because the computer is in here and Cubby's favorite game is to run up to me, pretend to give me a hug, and then at the last minute spin around and turn off the whole system on the CPU. The little stinker. He knows that it makes Mamma act really funny and crazy. He laughs and thinks the whole thing is hilarious.

Hence the rule.

Lauren isn't allowed in because she gets into the fridge and doesn't close the door. This also makes Mamma act really funny and crazy. I used to dream about being the kind of mom that taught her daughter to cook at an early age, but I am going to have to leave that to the Grandma's. She just makes messes. Right now the only one that is allowed in the kitchen is Norah. When she starts be distructive then she is banned to.

I have started to bend this rule recently because when I don't, Jacob picks up anything he can find and throws it over the dog/kid gate (the only one that can keep him out) into the kitchen. He usually starts with the dining rooms chairs and works his way down to the toy baskets and Derek's piano music. This doesn't usually bother me, but the last time he did it he broke one of our fancy IKEA dining rooms chairs and then used the pieces of bang the gate, like a prisoner. The prison idea was so accurate it made me laugh. Then I rembered that sometimes prisoners are so motivated to get out they will dig thorugh solid cement. Since Jacob has yet to figure out that if you put the chair up to the gate (rather than throwing it over), you can climb over the gate. I don't want to give him any motivation since I prefer to leave this an unexplored skill.
The other day when I let the kids in the kitchen, they decided to "cook. " At first I didn't realize what they were doing, but as I started to listening in, I was really touched by how cute they were playing together. This is honestly the first time I have seen them play together. Usually Jacob just wants to do whatever Lu is doing and then she screams until he goes away. This day has been 2 years in coming. Also, they have NEVER played with the pretend kitchen as long as they did here. They worked and worked and talked and played. Lu would venture outside to get "ingredients" while Cubby manned the grill. It made my mamma heart proud AND I got my work done.

Disclaimer, Jacob is only in a diaper in these pictures. I guess this is my official application to Trailer #4 in Whitetrashville. This kid wants to be naked all the time. Yesterday after naptime I found that he had gotten out of bed, taken off his diaper and put it in his garbage can and then crawed BACK into bed naked. I consider keeping him in any type of clothes a victory. And yes, Lauren is still in her jimmy jams (pj's).
I give you

Gatronomique..

I let the kids use whatever they wanted as long as it wasn't a knife. If you look closely at the little silver box by the bread Cubby is flattening, you will notice that those are the controls to the stove. Just push the button and you get all the heat you want. Child friendly, huh? I was informed that these are "hard boiled rocks". Sounds delish. This is the menue. I find this funny because Lu can write and spell. I guess this was faster. I was told to check out the "pepsi salad" and "yummy noodles".Serve them up Cubbo!

Nice war paint on his cheek. That is yogurt

Lauren, ever the patient supervisor, is always ready to smile for a picture...

Lauren goes in search of ingredients outside and comes back succsessful. This is Egg Salad Soup.

Jacob goes looking for ingredients of his own

He leaves no source unchecked. That garbage can is a microcausim of my life, eggs, cookies, Diet Coke and a diaper. That says a lot about me.
Jacob is watching the master work her magic
Stirring the Hard Boiled Rocks is hard work...

Jacob checks his orders..... (note that the ottoman he is standing on into the kitchen because he threw it over the gate earlier in the morning)
Salt makes everything better, even bark
Or just on it's own
This the best part. Lauren made this sign for the resturant.It reads "Pancake Fest, the rest Royalty" I don't know what that means, but she chanted it the rest of the day. The bottom one says "Pancakes are Royalty, Royalty Rules....... Go, Go, Go, Pancakes"