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Say "Yes More Than You Say "No"

Photo from Pixabay.com

I like to think that I'm OK at this parenting thing. And then I get a good ol’ slice of humble pie and am reminded that: 1) I really don't have control over very much; and 2) My kids have their own personalities and I can’t MAKE them do anything. (Dang it! ;) )

To illustrate my point, I’ll tell you about a funny encounter I had with my 3 year old man-cub recently:

C: “Mommy, I need something else to eat.”

ME: “Ok, do you want an apple? Or some bread?”

C: “No. These are my two choices: Candy, or Fruit by the Foot.”

Oh really now? I didn’t realize you were the one giving the choices around here now, Mr. C! :) I’m still cracking up about this!

Lately I’ve been worrying that I might tell my toddler “No” too often. Believe me, I don’t want to be a permissive parent (see The 4 Parenting Styles). But I’ve been thinking: I don’t want to stifle my son’s energy and imagination. This boy of mine talks non-stop most of the day, sometimes driving me to hide out in my room so I can have a moment’s peace. But I LOVE that he is so articulate and I love that he WANTS to be with me!

Our children are constantly seeking out our approval, our validation. It can be difficult sometimes to remember that they see the world very differently than we adults do; a child’s world is full of wonder and questions, and everything is SO FUN!

I believe parents should structure an environment that is safe enough and appropriate enough for their children so they- parents- only have to say “NO” when necessary. “Necessary” can be when a child is doing something dangerous, for example.

Because I have a 3 year old, I’ve come up with a list of ways parents can create that child-friendly environment that is specific to toddlers, which will allow them to say “YES” more often than they say “NO”:

How to Create a Child-Friendly Home Environment

1. Do the obvious child-proofing (remove unsafe objects such as low-hanging blind strings)
2. Create designated safe spaces for your child to BE a child (where they can run around, jump, get things a little messy)
3. Allow yourself to be OK with messes (Don’t expect to have a perfectly clean home, especially during the day while your child is awake!)
4. Always speak kindly to your child
5. When you do have to say “No” to your child, redirect them and help them understand why they shouldn’t do what they’re doing
6. Let your child talk your ear off- one day you may have to beg them to talk to you! (This one is specifically for me! :) )
7. Make the rules clear and be consistent (For example, in our house, it is never OK to hit others. Whenever my 3 year old does this, he automatically gets a 3 minute time out or gets a toy taken away for a few hours.)

I love this quote! It helps me keep my mommy perspective positive and loving, even when my patience is wearing thin:

“The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice” (Peggy O’Mara).

5 Things We Do to Get Out of the House

Being home all day drives me crazy, so I try to get out of the house as much as possible. Here are my top five go-to get out of the house lifelines as a SAHM.

1. Playdates. And I'm not talking about a playdate where you end up watching two kids instead of one. I need adult interaction!! I'm talking about playdates that we saw are for the kids, but they are actually for the moms to swap stories and give advice. I try to have at least two playdates a week. I love having standing playdates (the same day weekly or monthly) so I don't have to think about it. But sometimes schedules are crazy and it's easier to text a friend in the morning and see if they are available. 
2. Story Time. I have been known to drive to libraries that were farther away just to go to story time because my local library didn't have a time that worked for us. Luckily, the nearest library to us currently has story time twice a week. Story time is crucial for me because I: 1) meet new moms and 2) get new book recommendations. I love that the librarians at our library rotate who does story time, so we get a variety of book recommendations. Each librarian has different tastes and preferences, and often they pull out books I haven't heard of but come to love as they read them out loud. 
3. The Zoo. This is the most expensive of my options. We bought a year long zoo membership and it has been worth every penny. We average going once a week, which means it costs us $2.50 each time. Our pass allows us to go on several rides at the zoo for free, which would normally cost us $2 per person per ride. The good thing about having a zoo membership is that you don't have to feel like you have to see everything in one shot. Often we go and deeply explore a few exhibits. 
4. Parks. If you have toddlers, the best time to go to the park is during school hours, because then they can have the park to themselves without worrying about waiting their turn for the slide. Pro tip: if you go to the park after it's rained, bring a towel to wipe down the slippery slides and swings. 
5. Walks. We live in an apartment complex that covers a full block. Every day we go on a walk within our complex. I also know of several parks in our area that have walking trails. This is a great way to help introduce kids to nature (my son saw a lizard in the wild for the first time last week!) and to enjoy the fresh air. 

What You Need to Know Before Having Your 2nd Baby

Photo from Pixabay.com

Let me be totally honest: I had no idea how difficult the transition from 1 to 2 kids would be for me! I know that it isn't this way for every parent, but for me going from 1 to 2 kids was much harder than going from 0 to 1. Several factors can play into the ease or difficulty of adding a second child to your family:

-Age of your oldest child when the second baby is born

-Age of your oldest when you become pregnant (I hadn't even considered this factor until I realized that it was hard being pregnant and tired while taking care of a very active 1 ½ year old!)

-Stage of life you're in (Are you and/or your spouse still finishing college? Are you settled into a career?)

-The transition you experienced going from 0 to 1 child (This is the experience you have to go off. My first pregnancy and my oldest baby were pretty easy, so I had high expectations going into my second time.)

-Personality of your oldest child  (Every child has their own adjustment process when they become a sibling. My oldest acted out more towards me than towards his baby brother.)

-Temperament and needs of your new baby (My second baby was a physically demanding little guy. His personality is typically more mellow than my high-energy oldest, which makes him so fun and snuggly, but he has had more sensitivity and physical discomforts we've had to figure out. He wasn't the type of baby I could just set down while getting things done; he preferred to be held. He also hated the car at first… All these things surprised me, because lots of people had told me that the second baby “will sleep through anything!” Ultimately, it comes down to each individual baby and their temperament and needs.)

I wish someone would have given me a list of realistic, practical (and yet still upbeat) advice before my second baby was born. I thought I totally knew what I was doing because I had already had a baby; but the reality for me was that my second time around was quite different from my first. Even though some of that had to do with the babies themselves being different human beings, a lot of the difference rested on the fact that there were 2 to take care of instead of just 1.

So, if you are pregnant with your second baby or are planning on having a second in the future, here are things you should be prepared for:

Advice for Second Time Parents

1. Expect to stay at home a lot: It will take time adjusting to feeding a newborn as well as taking care of your other child. Give yourself time and don't worry if you don't get out much for the first few months- that's to be expected!)
2. Choose your battles: You have to give yourself and your kiddo some leeway while everyone gets adjusted to all the changes. What saved me was screen time for my 2 year-old: I told myself that I would not feel guilty about letting him have lots of screen time those first few months after having my new baby! This saved me because I was often able to sleep while the baby slept during the day- because my toddler was occupied with his favorite movies and shows. If you're super against screen time, good luck finding ways to occupy your oldest… :) I know there must be ways, but you won't hear them from me because like I said- screen time saved me!
3. Take care of yourself: I know this is said a lot, but take this advice seriously. I didn't have any postpartum depression after I had my first baby; but I got it after my second baby was born. Know the signs and don't be afraid to get help if you need it. And even if you don't have PPD, take good care of yourself! Keep doing things that you love to do!
4. Let people help you: Don't hesitate to ask for help from family and friends. It was so refreshing for me when a friend would babysit my oldest for a little while so I could get one-on-one time with my baby. It reminded me how easy each of my boys are when it's just one of them! ;)
5. Do dates with your oldest child: Adding a second baby to the family brings big changes for your first little one. Taking one-on-one, uninterrupted time to remind your oldest that they are still your special child will rejuvenate you both.

I LOVE having two kids!!! I was unsure about how I would establish a special, intimate relationship with each of my children since my time would be divided between them. But I figured it out, and so will you. And even though your oldest child may act like they don't like the new baby at first (or they may love him or her from Day 1- who knows!), you will eventually see a fun and precious relationship form between them, and it will melt your heart!

Book Review: This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

As a parent, I look at the things that my toddler has broken and think to myself "This is why we can't
have nice things." And then I found out there was a book written about it! This book is a series of essays about parenting and marriage. You can start in any chapter without having to worry about having read the one before it. Which is good, considering the fact that one of the chapters is titled, "the day we caught our kids looking at their buttholes," and curiosity had me reading that chapter first. Then my eye caught, "just because I get up in the night, doesn't mean I deserve praise," and I had to read that chapter next.

This book is an straightforward take of a father's preconceived notions of parenting, marital roles, and raising children, and how these notions were often smashed to pieces and he was left to work through things in a new way. I love the honesty of this book, and how it brings up things I have thought about before as a parent (ex: "an open letter to my newborn" or "the baby hates me.") I love the humor in this book an appreciated the fresh perspective it offered. 

We bought the kindle version of the book, which is only a few dollars. It was well worth the price, and now I'm trying to get Papa M to read it, one essay at a time. Language warning: there will be swearing. If you've read the book, what was your favorite essay?

Happy Reading,

DIY Felt Pizza

If you haven't guessed already, I'm a big felt crafter. Here's yet another idea to use some of your felt scraps!

Start out with a piece of cardboard, cut out to the circumference of your preference. I liked using cardboard because a felt crust isn't sturdy enough if you are trying to move the pizza around. Cut out a circular red piece for the sauce, and add whatever toppings you'd like! I did shredded mozzarella cheese, olives, sausage, bay leaves, and green onions.

 Happy Crafting!

Top 5 Most Used Kitchen Supplies

Cooking with toddlers can be rough. Here are some items I use to make things go more quickly! This post was not sponsored, but most of the items are pampered chef brand because my mother in law is a consultant. You can check out her FB page here.

1. Wooden spoons- D loves helping me cook, and these wooden spoons help stay a safe distance away from pots and pans, without conducting heat. 
2. Micro cooker- this is great for heating up soup (a popular lunch at our house), steaming veggies, or warming pasta sauce. 
3. Small skillet- D loves to cook eggs (as described in this post) so our small skillet gets used several times a week. 
4. Mix n' chop- Who has time to shred meat? With the mix n' chop, you can shred meat in under a minute. I even let D try to help out. 
5. Small knifes- I feel like I'm constantly cutting fruit and cheese for my toddler. I go through several knifes a day!

What kitchen items do you use the most?

Transportation ABCs

This has been my project the past few days!! I wanted to create some new decorations for D's room, and I decided to do a transportation themed ABCs poster. I got some of these ideas from this Etsy posting, but I wanted to change some of the letters to things that D would like more.

I scanned these all into a PDF, so if you'd like to print them off and use them, feel free! Disclaimer: I'm not a professional artist, so the scanned quality will not be the best.

Tantrums and Broken Bread

D gets really upset when some food item he is holding breaks.

And because he tends to grip his food tightly, this happens several times a day. So to combat the meltdowns, I remind D about what we do every Sunday- we partake of broken bread. In our church, this helps us remember Christ's body and his sacrifice for us. D looks forward to taking the sacramental bread every week. He knows that it is special and important, although he doesn't yet understand why. So when I remind him that we eat broken bread every Sunday, it helps him put into perspective that he can still eat his broken food. This doesn't work every time, but I'm always amazed how often it does work. Sometimes I'll even catch D saying "broken bread!" after he accidentally crumbles something in his hand.

There's probably some deep metaphorical analogy I could make about how this applies to us as children of God. But I'll let you, the reader, discover it on your own.

Our Spending Freeze

Inspired by this video, my husband and I decided to do a spending freeze this past week. In case you don't want to watch the video, this means that we didn't spend money with the exception of gas (my husband commutes to work and has to fill up his tank twice a week).

When we first decided to do the freeze, I figured it would be pretty easy because we had enough milk and food to last for a week without grocery shopping. But I was wrong. It was really hard. 

One of the benefits of a spending freeze is that you stop all spontaneous spending. Which means I passed up a lunch date with friends, picking up doughnuts on the way home from a frisbee game, and buying cheap kids books from a door-to-door salesman. Because really, I didn't need any of that. I still had playdays with friends this week that weren't at restaurants, and we still ate food and read books- that we already owned. 

I became more aware of what we actually did need to buy this week, like another lock for our front door (man-cub D figured out how to unlock it and escape). I ran out of deodorant, so I've gotten a little creative. 

Most of all, it was nice not running to to the store 2-3 times this week. We've gotten so bad at keeping a proper grocery list that we will run to the store for just one or two things and it gets to be time-consuming. Also, going to the store with a toddler is not my favorite, so I'm glad I got a week off from that!

Also it was kind of nice putting off some bills that didn't need to be paid right away...because paying bills is stressful. But, we will be paying them right when the spending freeze is over, because debt is also stressful. 

The other point of a spending freeze is that the money you would have spent you put into savings. And since we're saving to buy a home and furnish it, it makes me feel good knowing that while I passed up on some opportunities this week, hopefully it will pay off later.

What's In My Diaper Bag?

Every time my toddler is quietly occupied, I know there are only two explanations: he's pooping and therefore wants privacy OR he's digging through the diaper bag.

"What treasures does the diaper bag hold for a toddler?" you ask. Here's what D looks for in our diaper bag (ranked from most to least important.)

1.  Chocolate (for mom and dad), bribery candy, and snacks. This is the main draw of the diaper bag. D knows that if he is unsupervised long enough, he can unwrap a chocolate, eat it, and throw away the evidence.

2. Money. Quarters, pennies, credit cards, all things that can
be handled by small hands and then thrown around the house.

3. Stickers and other out-and-about toys. These are toys reserved especially for travel, to make them more interesting. Hence the draw to play with them at home. 

4. Bobby pins and lipstick. Admittedly not the coolest things for a toddler to play with, but then again there's the anomaly factor. 

5. The boring stuff. Like diapers, diaper rash ointment, wipes, and a small towel. These are the first to be grabbed and instantly discarded.

So there you have it, our diaper bag essentials. I never think to hide the bag because I like to have it easily accessible when we run out the door. But I may have to start putting it up higher, because it's been ransacked almost every day in the past week. 

If you're looking for a summary of diaper bag essentials from a parent's point of view, check out my What's in My Diaper Bag? post on Baby Bear Outfitters. 

Book Review: Why Have Kids?

This is a controversial book. The basic premise is that many

mothers in the United States are dissatisfied with being parents. Almost every chapter in the book tackles an issue that divides mothers: breastfeeding vs. formula, stay-at-home vs. working moms, acceptable levels of childcare, husband/wife childcare responsibilities, vaccination vs. mother's intuition, traditional vs. gay parents. The author herself warns: "This book will likely make you angry." Indeed, the title alone can provoke strong feelings among parents and non-parents. I almost felt guilty checking out this book out. But in the end it was worth it.

Despite the parts that did make me angry (thanks for the warning, Jessica Valenti), there were many parts that made me relieved. The main takeaway I got from this book is that one reason mothers are dissatisfied is because of unrealistic expectations. They expect motherhood to be amazing and rewarding and fulfilling while being told that it will also be "hard." But "hard" is such a vague term, they don't really know what to specifically expect. They expect that their children will fulfill their emotional needs, when in reality children often cannot even understand what their parent's needs are, let alone have the capacity to fulfill them. Society expects mothers to "do it all"- when in reality it is healthy for both mothers and children to rely on others to help with childcare.

I try so hard to be a good mom. But with that comes constant worrying. Is he getting enough to eat? Is he drinking enough? (Toddlers are stubborn, so I end up negotiating at each meal- and he has five small meals day!) Is he getting enough sleep? Have I read enough to him today? Why is he crying? Did I do something wrong? Am I not good enough? Do I not understand his needs? Especially since I am currently staying at home with my son full time, the mental expectations I set for myself become exhausting.

Why are mothers reporting increased dissatisfaction if the role of a mother is supposedly the "most rewarding job"? One of the issues the author tackles is the use of the word "job" for motherhood. If motherhood is a job, it follows that you should have time "off the clock." You should get vacation time. You have someone to answer to (which is who? your spouse? society? your unrealistic inner expectations?) The truth is, motherhood is not like a job in that way. You don't get time off, you don't get a lunch break, you don't get vacation time nearly as much as any other job. So why bother comparing it to a job? I would get so frustrated comparing my "job" at a stay-at-home mom to my husband's job as a professor. He only had to work 8-5. He got weekends off. He even got a lunch break every day! And I think this is the problem with my mentality. Motherhood is more than a job--it's a relationship.  And the more I view it as a job, the less I want to do it.

I don't really have an easy fix for this. I don't have an answer that will be good for everyone. But I do appreciate that Jessica Valenti starting a discussion so that hopefully we can get to the root of the problem and parents can start enjoying being parents again.

Story Time Favorites

Here are some of Man cub D's favorite books/ series as of late, most of which we've discovered by going to Story Time at our Library.

This is D's current obsession series. These books are quite long (40-50 pages) but they have simple illustrations and a few words on each page, so we actually make it through the whole book! I like how these books help illustrate how a child would feel in certain situations and plays it out through best friends Gerald the Elephant and Piggie.

D has the most random Dr. Seuss obsessions. He loves this book, along with "Ten Apples Up on Top," "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff," "Green Eggs and Ham," "The Tooth Book," and "The Eye Book."

These books have a fun beat to them and usually involve chanting/singing, which is always a favorite for D. They also teach about positive thinking.

I have mixed feelings about this book series. While they always aim to teach good principles (like using toilet paper correctly), usually something in each book will backfire for D and he'll get the wrong message. But he loves the illustrations and short phrases, so we've read almost every book by this author. 

This is another book series with good rhythm and sound effects.

A New Mexican version of 12 days of Christmas, which D had us sing daily for two weeks. But I didn't mind because the illustrations are gorgeous and detailed. I think I found something new every time we read the book.

What are some of your book recommendations for toddlers? 

Book Review: Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue

It may be a little strange that a blogger who's website focuses on one gender would be interested in a
book about parenting beyond gender stereotypes. One of the reasons I created this blog was because I worry about gender inequality for boys and well as girls. I love the website "A Mighty Girl" and wanted to create a little something for boys as well. (Incidentally, A Mighty Girl is where I learned about this book.) I realize that many will say that boys don't need any extra websites to help them with equality. But a quote in this book, Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue, perfectly summed up my reasoning.

"Boy World is a strict place: This research reflects a harsh reality for boys. Girls are more flexible than boys about what kinds of toys they can play with and how they can act. Girl-world is a much more open, accepting place than Boy-World. For example, girls play with boy toys much more often than boys play with girl toys...But boys can be brutally teased for doing anything girl-like. Girls are allowed to branch out, whereas peers in Boy-World strictly enforce gender rules." (p.127)

I loved that this book focused on the stereotypes for both boys and girls. I realize that girls have more inequalities that they must face, but I want to point out that so do boys. For example, I've been saving a childhood doll of mine for when we (hopefully) have a girl. After reading this book, I pulled out my doll Suzy for Man-cub D to play with. I realized there were many lessons that he could learn by taking care of a doll. Lessons that I wanted him to learn, like how to be gentle with babies, how to be aware of their needs, having empathy. Although he doesn't play with her as much now that the newness has worn off, it's fun to see him occasionally pull her out so she can sit at dinner with us or a read a book with him.

While I expected the author, Christia Spears Brown, to be extreme in her beliefs, she was actually quite balanced. She knows that she cannot singlehandedly change our culture of gender obsession. So she chooses her battles. Her daughters have girl names. They know their genders. The author doesn't ban pink from the house. What she does do is ban barbies. She also will confiscate any clothes gifted to her girls that have negative gender stereotype messages printed on them. She does her best to use gender neutral language with her daughters, basing her praise on their actions rather than mentioning their gender (ex: "What a big kid you are!" instead of, "What a big girl you are!")

This book argues that essentially before puberty, boys and girls are extremely similar and don't need to be treated differently because of their gender. To give you a taste of the practical advice you'll get in the book, chapter titles include "accidentally shaping who children become," "parenting a stereotype," "how children help create the differences we see," and "noticing gender."

This was a really interesting read for me, and I'd definitely recommend it! It motivated me to be more contentious of gender stereotypes I may be projecting onto my son. That said, I won't be changing the name of this blog (Man Cub Mamas) or my Etsy shop (Cute Girl Earrings).

DIY Holiday Crafts

A lot of these projects were inspired by pinterest pictures and posts, which I've linked to the name of each craft below.

Sock Snowman and Sock Santa- Santa was inspired by a snowman with a red hat - I used a red sock for Santa's body/ hat and a white one for his head/beard. The mustache for Santa and the nose for the Snowman were made out of felt. These tutorials recommend using beans or rice to fill your sock creations. I would suggest putting either beans or rice in the bottom, and then filling the rest with a cloth stuffing. Man-cub D through these around like crazy, and having these be all of rice made them more dangerous projectiles. So I ended up gutting them and adding the cloth filling.

Reindeer and Snowman Felt ornaments- I used cotton balls as extra stuffing for these cute ornaments! For the details of the snowmen, I used a black and an orange sharpie. Man-cub D learned the songs Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Once There Was a Snowman because of these ornaments.

Felt Nativity- I've been eyeing the little people nativity for months, but concluded it was just too expensive for this year. So I made my own finger puppet nativity! The outline for everyone except Baby Jesus was used from my Quiet Book posts. I chose not to be as detailed with their dress since I hot glued everything. I've learned that the more things you glue, the stiffer the puppets become, and the harder it is to fit your finger in. For Baby Jesus, I chose to cut out a brown arch and then a star shaped piece of yellow felt for the hay. I only glued down the outer sides of the hay so I could slide my finger between the brown and yellow pieces. 

DIY Mickey Mouse Stocking- My mom sent me this idea (thanks mom!) and I just had to try it. You'll see I altered it a bit since I used two pom poms that came with the stocking. I also didn't have enough black felt to do an entire head, so I just did the ears. 

Overall, these crafts have been quick and cheap to do! Man-cub D has gotten a kick out of all his new "gifts" this month, and has enjoyed playing with them all (minus the stocking). 

Wrapping Gifts with a Toddler

I wasn't even wrapping the actual gifts - I was wrapping
boxes for gifts to go inside. There was a roll of wrapping paper, scissors, and tape on the ground. Man-cub D had been barricaded out of the room, but he finally managed to get in.

"Okay, D, you can stay here, but don't touch anything."
"Don't. Touch."
"Exactly."
"Don't. Touch." *grabs the scissors and runs away giggling*

After retrieving the scissors, I sit on them until I need them. D digs underneath my butt, trying to reach them. I succeed in taping the wrapping paper onto a side of the box. Then D notices the tape.

"Cake?" he asks, referring to the tape.
"The tape is just for mommy."
"Mommy." *snatches tape from my hand and runs away*

After retrieving the tape, I put it on top of the bed until I need it. Unfortunately by this point D found the now unprotected scissors and has run off again. I retrieve the scissors and begin cutting wrapping paper for the next box.

"Sit?" D wants to sit in my lap.
"Sure," I sigh. At least then he'll stay put.

Just kidding. Now he wants a piggyback. And now he's walking all over the wrapping paper, getting dangerously close to grabbing the scissors again.

I lead him outside the room and shut the door. He weeps as if the only entertainment in the entire house is in the master bedroom--even though all of his toys are easily accessible in the front room, kitchen, or his bedroom.

I finish wrapping the box and look up to find that D has figured out how to open the door. Looks like I'll be buying child safety locks.

Last minute themed family costumes

Have the baby/ toddler be a lobster and everyone else wear "Red Lobster" bibs.

Have baby/toddler be a sack of money and everyone else wear all black as robbers.

Have a family member be a "crazy cat lady" and everyone else be cats

Winnie-the-pooh characters

What family themed costumes have you done?

Cooking with Man-cub D

Ever since I showed him how to cook eggs, Man-cub D has requested them every day for lunch. The following are 25 steps to a quick cooking session with a toddler.

Step 1: Pull out the eggs from the fridge.
Step 2: Pull a chair over to the counter so D can reach.
Step 3: Grab a small skillet and put on stove.
Step 4: Spray the skillet (unless D jumps right to step 5)
Step 5: D cracks the egg(s) into the skillet.
Step 6: Mama R digs out all the shell bits.
Step 7: Wash hands.
Step 8: Push eggs out of D's reach so he doesn't crack more.
Step 9: Hand D the pepper to season the eggs.
Step 10: D vigorously shakes pepper over eggs, possibly dropping it into the mix.
Step 11: Hand D the salt.
Step 12: Repeat step 10.
Step 13: Put salt and pepper out of D's reach.
Step 14: Open grated cheese for D.
Step 15: D sprinkles cheese on eggs, also spilling some on the chair.
Step 16: Clean the chair.
Step 17: Get wooden spoon for D to stir the eggs (thus scrambling them).
Step 18: Put skillet on stovetop.
Step 19: Turn on stovetop.
Step 20: Monitor D so he doesn't touch stove or skillet while eggs cook.
Step 21: Take wooden spoon from D momentarily to make sure the eggs get flipped so they are cooked all the way through.
Step 22: Apologize when returning the spoon.
Step 23: Declare eggs done.
Step 24: Get a plate while D gets a fork.
Step 25: Eat the eggs.