This is an every night statement around here when Charlie comes home and heads into the kitchen for dinner prep. Whether he wants the help or not, Creux will drag a kitchen chair around where Charlie is working–be it the sink, the stove (GAH!), or the island where food is chopped, Creux is right there participating.
And I won’t lie.
We’ve had one serious burn already.
Our stove stays hot long after pots are removed and you can tell because the burners are lit up with a little red light when they’re still dangerous to the touch.
We’ve reminded Creux time and time again not to touch unless we say it’s ok but he checked out the status on that red light situation without asking and found himself in a world of hurt for a few days.
However, he has not made the same mistake twice and, as a result, now listens impeccably when told something is “HOT!”
Anyway, the point here is that he’s as much of a fixture in the kitchen as his father is.
We joke that if he landed in culinary school as a young adult, it would be no surprise.
And he is quite the little helper, I must say.
On this night, I was prepping dinner before Charlie arrived.
It’s nice to not be drooling all over myself on the couch :)
I asked Creux if he wanted to help me get dinner ready and he asked, “I help Daddy?”
He was seemingly confused to see his mother in the kitchen.
Ahem.
But after eyeing me warily for just a moment, he found his chair, and I set him up with part of my cutting board, his dull-to-the-point-of-nothingness knife, and we went to work on some green beans together.
Ironically, this is the ONE place in the house that Creux really chills out and listens well and just…behaves.
I’m telling you, he’s a natural.
He comes by it genetically :)
January 7th, 2010 at 7:58 AM
How cute is that?! You and Charlie are so patient to let him help in the kitchen so much. I’m usually shooing little people out of my way while I run around like a crazy woman!
January 7th, 2010 at 9:56 AM
Very cute! My oldest is the one with the culinary skills; he’s amazingly patient, listens well and is so eager to learn. Mind you, that is only in the kitchen, but maybe it will transfer to other interests as he gets older. :-)
I have a question…I love the Christmas cards hanging from ribbons on your cupboards. How did you attach the ribbon? And do you use tape to attach the cards? I had lots of cards this year and big wide red ribbon, but wasn’t sure how to get the job done. Thanks in advance!!
Lori
January 7th, 2010 at 1:57 PM
Laura, we honestly have no choice! Shoo’ing does not work (it surely would make for a faster dinner) so we’ve just decided to get him out of the way by letting him “help” :)
Lori, yep, that’s plain old Scotch tape! The ribbon really sticks to the cabinets well–sometimes I have to mash the photos down during the long couple of weeks they’re up there but around the sink and stove where there’s lots of water vapor, it probably can’t be helped! Isn’t that a neat way to display cards? I saw it, believe it or not, on a COOKING show several years ago and went right out and copied the idea. We’ve been doing it ever since and for me, it’s one of the BEST things about Christmas! My kitchen is filled with lots of love, that’s for sure!
January 7th, 2010 at 6:04 PM
I miss that litle one already… He is definitely going to follow in his daddy’s footsteps….
January 8th, 2010 at 12:02 AM
E-mail me about scheduling a “little” cooking class at Young Chefs, Creux would love it!