Way back in the dark ages of December, when I knew that a baby brother and the turmoil that would be sure to follow was imminent, I bought a Gingerbread House and Gingerbread Tree kit to make with Ali – one last hurrah of uninterrupted Mommy/Daughter QT.
We made the house four days before Noah’s arrival, Ali using her parentally-inherited anal-retentiveness in pattern-making and decor.
She was, rightfully, proud of her delicious creation…which ended up taking a trip with her in the middle of the night to Gramamma and Pop’s house so that we could go to the hospital.
The tree never got made, so it sat in our pantry, lonely and dejected for seven months.
Every now and then, Ali would see the box and ask to make it. I, with my hands full of baby and dreading the stale gingerbread disgust, would put her off.
Finally, last week, she asked at the right time – during Noah’s morning nap. Plus, I knew that Chris and I were going to be leaving a week later (today!!) to go to San Diego, and so I again found myself wanting to get in some quality time with her.
And so, we pulled out that now-antiquated box.
I mixed the icings and prepared our work area…surely we could make a tree that looked something like the ones on the box, right?
I started out with the icing first, and quickly realized that our tree would look NOTHING like the box.
Naturally, I let Ali take over so that it looked like her bad ice job and not mine.
But she was proud of our Wicked-Witch-Of-The-West-Melting-Tree, and that’s all that mattered.
(I swear we do wear other things than pajamas at our house…or at least we do right before we leave the house and right after we get back.)
She added the ornaments, eating as many of those stale, decayed candies as she added to our creation.
Hopefully old candy isn’t known to be a Botulism carrier or anything.
When all was finished, she let me take a few pictures of our impressive creation,
…and then immediately began to eat the awful thing.
Of course, she wanted me to join her in our hard-earned dessert. And I, being the good Mom that I am, braved up and bit into one of those nastified ancient cookies.
It was about as tasty as eating a piece of petrified dog poo remoistened by stagnant rainwater.
Luckily for her, it will be a few more years before her palette gets that discerning.
What a cute tree.. Ali did an awesome job…. be safe on your trip and God Bless…
Thanks! And I hope you have an awesome birthday!!!
That is definitely a cute little tree! And, a cute little girl! And, you are a good mommy. Have fun at BlogHer!
Aww, thanks!! I needed the “good Mommy” reminder on the day I’m leaving them for a couple of days!! Even though Ali is THRILLED to be staying at Gramamma’s (She told me last week that she was tired of being with me and ready to be at Gramamma’s!!), my Mommy Guilt is still in full swing!! :)
hey, at least you get an early start on Christmas crafts! :) lol
That tree would be REALLY nasty if we let it stick around until this Christmas!! :)
You really are a good mommy. You also bring back wonderful memories of 50 years ago when my children were babies – I had almost forgotten there was a time when I, too, was reluctant to leave my precious babies with other family members that I really did trust, but the sinking feeling of being without a baby on my hip and next to my heart was hard to get used to.
Thank you for always bringing your readers wonderfully warm (and very funny!) family moments.
Thank you! Yes, it was SO hard to leave them, but of course they had a wonderful time with Gramamma and Pop!! I think it’s good for them AND I to have some apart time, but I was SO glad to have them back!!
That is pretty great and pretty gross. Enjoy San Diego and some child-free time.
It’s really a pretty tree. I wouldn’t eat it, but Ali did a good job decorating it.
Have fun in San Diego!
LOL. She is so pleased with her tree of nastiness! Looks like she really enjoyed her mommy time. I don’t have kids but I always LOVED staying at Grandma’s House! I bet she will too! Have fun on your trip.
First of all – you have the most beautiful daughter and I love that Christmas could pop up in August so you could share some special time with her! Second of all – I am STILL trying to come up with witty comebacks from your run-ins with the nosy busybodies but I’m speechless. Just speechless. Third – congrats on the weight loss!! and fourth (whew) have a great time in San Diego!!!
Thanks!! We had an awesome time in San Diego – I can see why you all like to vacation there – it’s a GORGEOUS city!!! Chris didn’t want to come home from the second we stepped off of the plane and he felt the weather. Wow!