Banana Chocolate Cake

Usually when little miss Haana and I cook together, it starts off like a fun excercise! This will be a fun, bonding experience. But in reality, it stresses me out aplenty.

I usually stress out about making a mess in the kitchen- the counter tops and the floor. Then i start snapping at little miss Haana at what I would claim is her sloppiness. Then she gets upset. Then i feel bad. Then i go up to her and try to win her back with a 50-50 chance. All this rollercoaster drama happens while also working on the cooking task. Sometimes i try to remember what Papa said to me- she's only 9!

Last week, though was different. Little miss Haana was home on spring break and decided she wants to bake. We had found this chocolate banana cake recipe and on the counter 3 bananas were rushing to go overripe, perfect for the recipe. There was a catch though. Dad had to go out for some work, I had to cook dinner and I had a contractor coming in that evening, and I expected to be working with that contractor in stead of helping and monitoring little miss Gugu. I told her to wait for Papa to get back, but she couldn't wait.

So she got her stepping stool so she can work on the counter, and got cracking. I was directing and helping her briefly, but soon, the contractor showed up and little miss Haana was now on her own to make sense of the recipe. 

She worked at it with care and precision, and next thing I knew, ahe only needed my help with placing the cake tray into the oven! 

She continues to astonish me, by being outstanding. At the same time, I am not surprised that she's outstanding! 

Badmaash

Hindi word badmaash translates to bad, rogue, naughty. It fits Bobby boy.

When i call him to come, and he's on the floor, he goes crawling a few spaces. Then looks back to make sure I'm following him or coming to get him. Then he giggles in excitement, turns around and quickly scuttles away laughing. All the while he's laughing while he's running away.

And he's a trickster too..

When he's riding on Dad's arms, and I come close, he appears like he wants to come to me. He moves his arms towards me. I feel like 'Oh, my baby wants to come to Mumma'. Come 'ere Bobby, i think as I go and try to pull him to into my arms. Just then, at the last minute, he giggles and turns around like he changed his mind and he's very pleased about that. Not coming to Mumma after all! He does this very often and giggles all the while.

Badmaash Bobby!

Skills

New skills have recently been acquired by my little Bobby boy. 

After having scooted and crawled around the house, sometimes at astonishing speeds, my little baby boy is taking steps. Sometimes he reminds Dad of the Walking Dead series, the way he walks. But nevertheless, the boy is walking.. and getting more stable and faster at it by the hour!! 

Another news, in time for his first birthday, he now is not just a gummy boy, 2 bottom front white teeth are poking out finally. Sharp as scissors, and not quite all there yet, but they're spanking new in the gummy neighborhood!! Luckily so far, Bobby boy doesn't seem too fussy or bothered. He's chewing down everything he can grab, but that's always been the case! 

New skills and tools heading to the first birthday!

Family Dog

My little Bobby boy likes to keep his plate clean. He is generally curious and will taste anything he is curious about. He's also generally good with eating. 

But he also believes that anything he doesn't want to eat at that moment must still be cleared off from his tray. So once he's done eating, he sends all the remaining pieces hurtling down to the floor. Then the looks down from his high chair to make sure they didn't somehow get stuck somewhere, and did after all make it all the way to their destined places on the floor!

We have tried to tell him "No throwing food", in many different ways and tones of voice, but it has never stuck. He just looks at us with interest, with careful observation, then without batting an eye lid, sends the food on its way down. 

Since he's mostly eating solids, most times, his food is actually tasty too.. cheese, pancakes, grilled cheese, dosa (rice and lentil crepe), steamed carrots peas beans etc. When I crawl under his high chair to pick up the bite sized pieces Bobby boy threw away, I find myself occasionally popping them in my mouth. This has generally been a satisfying experience till it occured to me, clearing up the floor of fallen off food is generally the job description of the family dog! 

I am (being) the family dog!!!

Brave Triplets

Remember the movie Brave? The 2012 Pixar movie about a Scottish princess, who is impulsive, rebellious but also brave! And then there were her 3 brothers. Triplets, crazy naughty and rotten to the core! I have one of them!

Remember what the triplets looked like?

Here's what they looked like..

And here's a real life, crazy naughty, rotten to the core boy I found with me today...

See any similarities?