Tomorrow is Kevin's birthday. I have been trying, in vain it seems, to "secretly" get stuff ready for him. You see, my helper is not quite three years old, and she doesn't quite grasp the concept of surprise and secret. This morning, after art class, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for Kevin's cake, a Mississippi Mud Pie, that we didn't have. I kept telling her, yes, we were going to make a cake and that it was a surprise, so not to tell daddy. Well, daddy came home for lunch and the first thing she tells him is that we bought eggs and are going to make a cake. @@ This afternoon, we ran out to the store to pick up a present, a new watch, and a couple of cards (praying I have enough birthday wrapping paper, or it might look like he's getting a Christmas present). Again, I kept telling her it was a surprise and we were not going to tell daddy about it. And again, the first thing she did when we got home was tell him that we had a surprise and that it was a present. Oh well, at least she didn't tell him what it was.

I was going to make the "cake" this afternoon while Alison was sleeping, but was very, very tired for some reason, so I decided to take a nap myself. I knew that Kevin had a late softball game tonight so Alison and I would be able to make it together after he left and before she went to bed. She loves to help me bake. I sat her down with a Signing Time video while I got everything ready and then called her to come and get her chair so she could help me. She always looks so cute pulling the chair away from the dining room table and shoving it into the kitchen, up to the counter, so that she can see and reach. Having a baking buddy is not the easiest thing in the world, but I hope that she will still enjoy baking with me as she gets older and can help do more. So now, all that's left to do is pop the cake in the oven, put the helper to bed, and clean up all the mess so that Kevin doesn't know what we were up to tonight. Fortunately it's cool enough outside to open up a couple of windows so the chocolate smell won't be as strong. He'll be surprised and wonder when I made it, even though he knows I know this is his favorite dessert and I make it for him every year (and for Father's Day, too).