One-On-One

James hasn't been feeling too well recently. Since being under-the-weather has made him a sleepy little boy, Cambrie and I have been taking advantage of the one-on-one time we've had. What do we usually do when we need a project that a three-year-old can participate in and a Mommy also enjoys? Head to the kitchen!

Since Thanksgiving is next week, I figured I'd get a head start on some holiday baking. With the occasional help and chipper company of my daughter, I made two pie crusts, placed them in their dishes, and set them in the freezer for later use.

Cambrie got the extra dough for her own little pie crust. It was so cute to see her rolling it out, pressing it into the pie dish, using it as playdough, etc.

"Time to put it in the oven!" I told her. "Here, sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar on it!"

Ah, those picture perfect moments! There it was--her little hands tilting the shaker over her own adorable culinary creation. The blogger in me took over.

"Hey, babe, I'll be right back." Sprintsprintsprint down the stairs, grab the camera, sprintsprintsprint back upstairs....

She found that bib in some of her baby things and insisted on wearing it.

Oh. Right. I guess it all comes out quicker than I remember.

No matter! I shook off the excess cinnamon and suger and tossed it in the oven (but not before she swiped a taste of the cinnamon and sugar and declared that she did not like it. Whatever, kid, I'm a-bakin' it anyway!).

While it was baking I ran down to check on the baby. Sleeping soundly. But then I heard a whisper from the top of the stairs.

I tiptoed over. Cambrie was peering down at me with both oven mitts on her hands.

"Is he still sleeping?" she whisper-called. I nodded. "Then come on! I have the game ready! I already made it up!"

Oh, well okay. I hurried up the stairs where she led me into the living room. "Here," she instructed, handing me an oven mitt. "This one is yours. You sit here, and we roll the ball on the mat with our mitts, and we catch it!!" She was so excited. I followed her directions as best I could. Curious, I asked, "So what is this game called?"

She thought, briefly. "Ummm, 'This Game.'"

"Oh. 'This Game,' huh?"

"Uh-huh, um, it's called 'Mittens-clothes-ball.'" Okay. That made more sense.

And so we played.

By the time the game was over and the crust was done baking, she had no interest in tasting it. I tried some--a little heavy on the cinnamon, but otherwise it was perfect. Perfect crust. Perfect morning.

The fun thing about having two kids, though, is now I have two, very different, very wonderful little people to spend one-on-one time with. Just like (when the fates are smiling kindly) I get legit, stress-free time with Cambrie, sometimes the girl is napping and I have stress-free time with a baby boy who just wants to be held.

So what do my one-on-one moments with James look like? Usually they end up on the porch swing, since he'll get bored if we hang out in the house. There we spend time enjoying each other's company and catching up with family and friends on the phone. Even chilly weather hasn't discouraged us.

I hope his cuteness is obvious even through our poor little camera's lens. 

I sure am grateful, during this month of gratitude, for little games of Mittens-clothes-ball and toothless grins from a bundled up baby.