chocolate chip banana muffins.

The kids wanted to make chocolate chip muffins.  

I made them add bananas.  

I let them gather the ingredients, mix up the batter and fill the cups basically on their own.  

Mr. 5 Months Old was grabbing at everything!

So I gave him his very own cooking utensil...

which he appreciated very much.

For 10 seconds. 

And then it was back to Grabby McGrabberson.

It goes against my nature to allow this kind of messiness.  
I like things done neatly.  
(Though you would not know this about me based on the current state of my house.)

But the joy and pride that comes from doing things yourself when you're three (and 5)...

It encourages me to chill so she can learn to enjoy baking.  

Cause what fun is it to be clean? And truly, the muffins taste just as good whether you made a mess or not.  

*******

Baby boy slobbered so much while gnawing on his cooking utensil that he had to change out of his soaked clothes...

And he got to spend a few minutes in his high chair for the first time.  

Everyone always says how big he is. 

But really, he's just so tiny.