The next Julia Child?

I think I read somewhere that Julia Child was 32 when she began to cook. (I've always loved Julia Child and her wonderful seemingly carefree personality.) And although you don't read about her ever cooking from packaged mixes, I'm sure she would support this step as good place to begin for a girl who just turned 2. Vanessa already loves to cook. My earliest memories in the kitchen are from when I was about 3, so I'm all about letting Vanessa try simple steps to get started.

Last Thursday I decided to let her do almost all the work for making Martha White's blueberry muffins. She proudly chose the bowl and spoon to mix with. (I couldn't persuade her to use a smaller bowl and a better utensil for scooping and pouring . . . but hey, this was her thing -- trial and error, right?)

"Mommy, I'm pouring?"

"Mommy, I'm mixing?"

"Mommy, I'm scooping?"

"Mmm . . . smell good? I put in oven?"

(Mommy had to convince Vanessa that it was safer for her to let her mommy put the muffins in the oven. Understandably, it was hard for Vanessa to give up control of something she worked so hard on. But she got to help push the buttons for preheating. And she listened patiently for the timer to beep when the muffins were done.)