Happy Valentine's Day!

We made cookies yesterday morning. Amelia had a hard time with the cookie cutter because it didn't have a back to it, so she had to try to just push down on the edges, which was hard for a toddler to understand. A few of the cookies wound up with little fingers on them as a result.

As anticipated, the cookies were a pretty messy process, but that's okay because they're fun. What did surprise me ws that she was really into eating the leftover flour on the counter - not the dough, the flour that we were rolling the dough on. (blech, but whatever)

We used the recipe from her Clifford Wants a Cookie book. She has the book memorized and if she ever hears me utter aloud even two of any of the ingredients from the book (egg, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla, salt), she finishes the list for me. This happened one Sunday when I was making waffles, as I was setting out the ingredients.

She didn't seem overly impressed that we were using the recipe from her book, and she was a bit confused as to why she was suddenly allowed to stand on a chair, but overall I think it was a fun experience for her.

We iced them after they cooled and she couldn't wait to have a chance at the brush herself. Don't we all know that's the best part of baking - licking the batter/icing?

Last week we found a cute Thomas card for her to give Daddy today. She was so good about taking it to him in the envelope tonight, but as soon as he opened it she took it back to enjoy, before he even got a chance to read it. That's how much she loves Thomas.

My valentine flowers came yesterday and Amelia thinks they're roses because of one of her books where the puppy smells the rose. I love how she "smells" so audibly.

[pictures dated 2/13 and 2/14/08; video dated 2/13/08]