Good Mommy. Good Mommy.

Ya know - some days you just feel like a slouch of a mother.  You feel like you aren't being entertaining enough - you are not engaging enough, you aren't providing enough educational play, you aren't providing the right amount of nutrition......on and on and on.  Knowing that we are leaving the city - I have gotten a little lax in the fact that "well, the schedule will get back to normal in a few weeks" mentality and I have gotten quite lazy I must say.  The guilt was too much to take today, so while Makenna was napping I whipped out the old "Toddler Busy Book". This book has a bunch of ideas to entertain your little one in creative ways that don't cost much money.  I actually got really excited looking through there and seeing all the things that I thought Makenna would enjoy.  I have to admit that nap time for me usually consists of (at least in New York since I have nothing else to do really) flopping on the couch and watching all my tivo'd shows that I like to catch up on.  Well today - I found a fun and yummy new recipe for dinner and started working on that, found a cookie recipe that Makenna would have fun helping me make and got the ingredients out for that and then I proceeded to take one of the ideas for my book and make her an oatmeal tub (yes. dry oatmeal - if you are wondering).  I put a bunch of scoops and ladles and measuring spoons in it and then hid some secret treasures (m&m's) in there for her to find.  This was her treat when she woke up and she loved it and enjoyed playing in it for quite awhile.  She loved making the cookies with me tonight and putting the marshmallows in each one (didn't take a lot to make the girl happy) and I loved just being with her and doing something fun.  We read stories before bedtime and ended the night with a song, a hug and a kiss.  I love days like this when I have my act together and I feel like I am engaging my daughter and making her life for more fun.  So tonight - I will lay my head on my pillow feeling like a "good mommy" and I will enjoy that feeling until I wake up tomorrow and embrace a whole new supply of guilt for things I wish I did differently throughout my day. :-) But for now - goodnight to you.  For those of you who care - let's enjoy getting LOST in one of the best shows ever!  I hope tonight is a good one.

P.S.  The cookies we made were not only fun, but they were literally some of the best tasting chocolatey gooey cookies I have ever had.  You must make them with your little ones.  Here's the recipe.

Marshmallow Chocolate Mud cookies

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tspn vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks
1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels in a small microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well. Finally blend in the vanilla and melted chocolate.
   
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and pass it through a sieve. Add this slowly to chocolate mixture, continuously stirring until well blended. Stir in the chopped pecans and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks.
   
3. Now take a baking sheet lined with butter paper. Spoon two tbsp of the dough onto the paper sheets. Press 3 marshmallows into the center of each cookie dough.Preheat oven to 350° and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove and allow to cool on the wire rack.