Rumpledoodle Day

Try these! You won't be sorry.

If you don't have a little one to use as an excuse for watching Pooh's Heffalump Movie, you're missing out. Not only have three of the songs been stuck in my head for days, the rumpledoodles are delicious! This was the first movie that Layth officially sat through, and while I'm probably not supposed to be proud that I can get him to sit still in front of the television, it does open up a whole new world of G-rated movie-going opportunities.

For those who don't know, a heffalump is a child's mispronunciation of the word "elephant." Layth has now taken to calling us Mama Heffalump, Gaga Heffalump, Laythy Heffalump (aka Baby Heffalump,) and Baby Maya Heffalump. We're also expected to make elephant sounds periodically throughout the day. I don't make very good elephant sounds, but he's kind, and lets it slide. The little heffalump in the movie is distinctly British and very cute, reminding me of the five-year-old daughter of a couple of our friends in England. Layth can (and does, quite often) quote his favorite line in a British accent: "Do you have any rumpledoodles?"

I was delighted to find that there is indeed an official recipe for rumpledoodles, and today was Rumpledoodle Day. You won't find it on any calendar. I just decided it was so because I knew I wouldn't bake until today and wanted to give Layth something to look forward to. I even stole the tune from The Howdy Doody Show's theme song to sing a Rumpledoodle Day song, which has now joined the other heffalump songs dancing around in my head.

Layth was allowed to help me make the rumpledoodles today. This was his first foray into the kitchen for official kitchen business, and he did very well. I measured ingredients, and he put them in the mixing bowl. He helped me mix the ingredients and grease the cookie sheets. Just out of curiosity, if you discover too late that your toddler licked his buttery hand in the middle of greasing the cookie sheet, then proceeded to finish greasing the cookie sheet with a combination of butter and saliva, do you have to ban that whole batch of cookies from being served to guests? Fortunately, we're not expecting any guests for Rumpledoodle Day this year, but in all honesty, I think I'd probably serve them anyway and tell myself that what they don't know won't hurt them. Mom, you've been warned. For everyone else, there may be comfort in knowing that I have no aspirations to open a restaurant, though I suppose I won't be surprised if my desserts are eyed a little more warily in the future.