There is dough, and then there is batter...

There was a lot of bread-baking this weekend. Laurel says "dough!" and pulls a chair over to the counter so she can help, whenever she sees M pull out a starter or the flour. Her favorite part is to shake the flour onto the counter. This weekend, M and Laurel also baked cupcakes. However, it was all "dough" to Laurel...she does not understand the difference between dough and batter. What I like most about watching Laurel in the kitchen is how she gets very businesslike towards the tasks we give her. Toddlers have a way of traveling around rather aimlessly most of the time (I can only imagine what she's thinking..."oh, a bug! a shoe! I'll lick the wall now. where is my blanket? I need juice! I need mommy!"). But when Laurel is cooking with us she walks purposefully when we ask her to go get something. She stirs with vigor. She looks very serious when she's shaking or pouring an ingredient into the bowl.