Little Miss Independence

     I needed to make some frosting for some cupcakes for our home group a couple of weeks ago, but Ella really wanted me to sit and hold her (it was the day after she got her "owies" from the treadmill).  Anneka said, "it's okay, Mama and Ella, you sit right there on the couch.  I'll do everything!"  And she totally did.  I told her what to mix in for the frosting... she got out the beaters by herself and scraped everything with the spatula and put it all on the cupcakes.  And then she got out the sprinkles and sprinkled them.  And I just sat and held Ella.  Of course, there was WAY more cleanup later, and Ike got a nice fistfull of cupcake along the way, but I love how she's so confident to do stuff like that... and Ella was happy, too.  =)

     For a few months now, she's been into making her own cakes.  They're always a little different, but she does the whole thing by herself (except for actually putting it into the oven and taking it out.)  In January the ladies from our team were all over for a clothing exchange party, and Anneka made a cake with her friend Kristina (who is the same age).  Kristina's mom was shocked to walk into the kitchen and see the little girls dumping flour and sugar and oil into a bowl with no adult around!  Leif helped them put it in and out of the oven, and when it was finished, the girls proudly brought us each a piece of cake to try.  And it was pretty good!  Sometimes she'll add things like pretzels and Cheerios... but most of the time they're pretty basic.  This also creates a huge mess, so I have to be feeling energetic to let her bake by herself!

     Anneka is also very into making everything.  If she wants something and doesn't have it, she makes it (masks, notebooks, wings, earrings, etc.)  The other day she was thinking about our friend, Masha, who is expecting a baby in June.  Anneka said, "Mama, you call Masha and tell her that she doesn't need to buy any clothes for the baby.  I'll make them all!"  And she proceeded to make this little outfit.  Gotta love it!