Emma’s Sweet Tooth

August 5, 2008

Today Emma refused to eat her regular, healthy food because all she wants to eat is junk food. We told her that if she doesn’t eat her dinner, she doesn’t get dessert. While Mark and I were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, Emma hid in the cabinet next to the dishwasher. She does this a lot so we didn’t think much of it. She was in there for a pretty long time and was being quieter than normal (which should have been a clue that she was up to no good) but Mark and I were just happy to have some peace and quiet for a few minutes so we left her alone.

I went upstairs to get something and Mark calls me and asks me to come down. He says, “You have to see this. There is no denying Emma is your daughter”. I knew that last part meant trouble! Sure enough, I come down the stairs to find her face and hands covered in chocolate. It turns out that she took the cake from the kitchen island when Mark and I were busy and hid it in the cabinet. Then she went into the cabinet and had a chocolate feast in the dark.

When she had enough chocolate, she came out with her hands hidden behind her back with a chocolate smile from ear to ear and she said to Mark, “Daddy, you no can see my hands”. Mark couldn’t see her hands but he knew from the chocolate smeared all over her mouth that she had been up to no good. He peeked into the cabinet and saw the cake box. He asked her to see her hands and she showed him one that was perfectly clean. He asked to see the other and it was completely covered with chocolate.

Emma will not take “no” for an answer when she wants something. She is a very determined little girl. Mark and I couldn’t even get mad at her because first of all, it was really funny and second of all, we know it is in her genes:)

As a little girl, I remember doing a lot of sneaky things with junk food because I loved it and my parents didn’t buy it often. I guess that is why I was addicted to cod liver oil pills as a child…LOL. I know it sounds gross but my mom bought some that were small and orange in color – a bit larger than a tic tac. They were crunchy (and I LOVE crunchy) and they were the closest thing I had to candy. I would ask my brother (13 months older than myself) to pull a chair from the kitchen table to the counter for me and then I would climb onto the chair, then onto the counter and then would open the cabinet above the sink to get to my cod liver oil pills. I would reward him for his hard work by giving him a pill or two. I of course would reward myself with handfuls for having to climb so high to get the darn things.

So, now that Emma is up to no good sneaking around with a chocolate cake, I must say that it is not her fault. It is in her genes and she can’t help it!

Kudos to Emma for her wisdom at such a young age. We are headed for trouble people. Stay tuned for more adventures with Emma the Great!

Filed Under: All, Badness, Emma, food

Pizza?

August 30, 2007

dsc00058.JPGSo on two occasions in the last month or two, Elena and I stood around the kitchen during dinner time and asked each other the age old question, “What do you want to eat for dinner?”. We like Pizza around these parts and we had grown particularly fond of Papa John’s Hawaiian Pan Pizza, so feeling adventurous we decided that we would call in a carryout special. This means that we have to get off our butts and pick it up ourselves, but the pizza comes out significantly less expensive, plus we had business to do in the area so we figured we would kill two birds with one stone and eat our pizza in the car picnic-style. Elena is always good about making sure we have everything we could possibly need. She typically packs napkins, paper plates, plastic utensils, soda, etc. and off we go. Emma seems to like the change of scenery as well.

In any event, we literally did that twice in the course of a two month period. Today during lunch we wondered aloud what we should eat for lunch. Our neighbors have raved about a local pizza joint so we decided that we would go try it out. Within minutes of our saying the word “Pizza”, Emma proceeded to dig through our pantry and prepare her to-go plate. She then approached her mother who was otherwise distracted and said, “Pizza?” Elena was stunned to see that Emma had collected the same items (paper plate, napkin, and plastic utensils) that Elena normally prepares for us. She is one smart cookie that Emmalicious.

Filed Under: All, development, food

Cookies or Lard?

March 28, 2007

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Emma and her new bubble machine

Every Saturday and Sunday morning Elena and I have what is affectionately referred to in our household as, a “Monster Breakfast”. This typically consists of freshly cooked pancakes with a nice warm cup of hot cocoa, or a scrambled egg omelet with onions, ham, and cheese. When we are feeling particularly voracious we will include freshly cooked bacon or sausage (although we haven’t done that for a while). We also include a nice warm cup of “cafe con leche” (coffee with milk). Over the years I have established a tradition of sorts where I celebrate the end of a long week, and the goodness of this fantastic feast, by dipping a delectable Pepperidge Farm Double Chocolate “Milano” cookie into my coffee, and then eating the moist heavenly wafer. This technique really brings out the sweetness in the chocolate and for that one moment, there is peace and harmony in the world. Upon my return from that temporary state of bliss, Elena can always be found staring at me from across the table with a look of utter repulsion. You see, Elena doesn’t think much of the Milano, or its unassuming dry outer shell that gently and inconspicuously protects the chocolate treasure that lies within from undiscerning eyes. She doesn’t get that it is not meant for any but the most discriminating of pallets. “Dry nasty cookies” she calls them. “And how disgusting it is that you dip them in your coffee”, she says as she retrieves a buttered piece of toast from her coffee and consumes its greasy remains.

So over the last several months I wondered in private, if Emma would have the distinguished pallet required to appreciate the subtle beauty of a carefully crafted cookie? Or would she have the coarse, barbaric taste buds that craved sugar and lard? This weekend we got our answer. Emma, like her Dad, is a “Cookie Connoisseur”. Welcome to the club baby. You made your Daddy proud. Of course, this does mean that Mommy will have to double-up on our Milano inventory if I’m gonna have to share now. 🙂

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Emma eating Dad’s favorite cookie

Filed Under: All, food

Open Up And Say Ahhhh!!!

February 1, 2007

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Despite Emma’s milk allergy she seems to be unaffected by cheese. Here she shares one of her favorite snacks (a cheese cube) with her buddy Tigger. Notice how Emma opens her mouth and says “Ahhhh” as she feeds him. It’s the cutest thing.

Filed Under: food