Husband and 4 bake a cake.

A thread.

I offer boxed cake mixes. Husband scoffed. Husband calls mother for recipes. Realizes we don’t have ingredients needed. I remind of boxes mixes. “Oh, I thought we didn’t have any.”

Husband asks if we have round pans.

We do.

“It would be nice if it said what size they are.”

Husband holds pan up to crotch to determine if it’s 8” or 9”

Husband asks Alexa If she knows what size the pans area. She does not.

4 is given butter to grease the pan. 4 eats the butter.

4 greases the pan and then announces “I keep touching the pan. I like to feel things.”

Husband breaks eggs. 4 almost throws an egg at him.

4 reads the box and determines she wants a cake in a picture that we also don’t have ingredients for.

Husband adds oil.

Husband measures water and lets 4 pour.

4 wants to pour cake mix in. “Can I pour all of it?”

Husband threatens that any spills means we can’t make the cake.

4 immediately turns the mixer on high. Husband grabs and turns off.

They reduce speed together and it mixes.

4: can I taste it yet?

Husband: no

4: how about a little bit?

Husband: no. Absolutely not.

4: how about the drop here?

Husband: no

4: I just want to lick the spatula

Husband: not yet

4: how about now?

4 is left to watch the whisk drip after mixing.

Husband pour cakes into pans.

4: are we going to make 2 cakes?

Husband: well, we’re going to make 2 and put them together with icing to make a SUPER CAKE

4: I like licking. So, if you need to wash that, I will lick it. I’m a pretty good licker.

Can I lick it now?

Husband: what do you think the last step is?

4: licking?

Husband: cooking. We cook these for 25 minutes and we’re not going to eat this until after dinner.

4: do we need to put this in it?

Husband: the rest of the butter? No. And you cannot eat it.

4: man!

4 runs over, climbs on my lap and whispers a secret to me

4: I licked the spatula 2 TIMES.

I never would have known based on the icing all over her face.