Benjamin and I (Marcie) spend most Saturday mornings on our own while Roger teaches classes (ugh!). We have little adventures together, get some food prepared for the week, and generally make a mess. (The mess disappears by the time Roger wakes up, so he usually never sees the kitchen covered in water or flour, or his kid covered in peanut butter.)
Ben is a chair sitter now, no need or want for a highchair except when we’re out to dinner or in the dining hall. A high chair outside the home is a must because, although he likes to eat, when he gets close to done or a little bored he tends to wander. That’s okay at home, but would be less than fun in a restaurant.
Ben and I have started making applesauce from the left over apples from the snack at my school. He likes to turn the food mill and especially likes to eat the warm applesauce. The food mill was my grandmother’s, it makes me happy to pass on a little bit of the love I had with her to my own son through cooking together. Since Ben’s allergy diagnosis (egg whites and dairy) we have modified recipes to substitute bananas and applesauce for the offensive eggs. So far, so good. Even banana coated french toast, it was tasty but stuck to the pan.
We all know Ben loves his peanut butter which he calls “butter”. His budding desire to be independent includes a passion for spreading his bread himself. He usually gets a little on the bread then discovers that there is MUCH peanut butter on the knife or spoon he’s using. He then proceeds to eat the peanut butter straight from the utensil. That’s efficiency!
