And I'm back! I don't really want to bore any of you with an Author's note you probably won't read, but please enjoy the story! I promise it's much more interesting than me blabbing excuses half the time in this little section of the chapter.

Chapter 4- Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Dad!" I called out as I walked (read: waddled) through the empty entrance hall.

"In here, dear!" Dad's head poked out from the kitchen and he held out his arms. I noticed he was wearing oven mitts.
I toddled over to him and let him pick up one-year-old me.

That's right, I'm one year old now! And I've grown up quite a lot! I can waddle for short distances (even if I have to crawl sometimes), and I can say small words!
Huh. Is that really normal for a one-year-old anyway?

"What do?" I managed to say in my squeaky voice while trying to look over Dad's shoulder (keyword: trying).

"I'm making cookies." He sounded a bit disgruntled. "And failing miserably." He finally turned around and let me see the disaster that was the kitchen. It was like a hurricane blew in during a baking contest. Batter was splattered all over the walls and counter and floor, and the oven was slightly steaming.

And the chocolate chips! They wer scattered everywhere, in something that was a poor excuse for a cookie, and WHAT A WASTE!

I shot an unimpressed look at Dad.

"What? I followed the directions!" Dad exclaimed. When my stare didn't change, he admitted, "Fine, so maybe I used some wind magic and accidentally made everything go BOOM!, but other than that, I did!"

I sighed. Sometimes Dad was like an eleven-year-old kid (no offense to any eleven-year-old kids out there). Where did the mature Amos from the books go?

Am I spoiling him by being too mature so he can be immature?
Maybe a bit, but I can't help it.

"Why coo-coog-" I tried to say cookies, but ugh! I can't pronounce it for some reason.

Thankfully, Dad understood. "Why was I making cookies? I heard from Julius that Ruby's pregnant, so I was making some to congratulate them."
There was a pause. "I guess I'll just stick to store-bought ones. Let's clean this mess up."

When I was about to ask how, he chanted, "Tanzif!"

A hieroglyph blazed in blue (Author: Sorry I can't insert the pic).

I squinted at it and couldn't make heads or tails of it.

I didn't really need to either, since all of the batter and dirt on every surface of the room gathered in an enormous pile in a corner of the kitchen. I grimaced at it and concluded that the spell must mean 'clean' or 'scrod' or something similar.

My train of thought stopped in it's tracks.
Hold up!

Aunt Ruby's pregnant?! Meaning Baby Carter will be born in a few months. Meaning my cover as an innocent baby will be blown.

And I'll get a little cousin (brother!) ! I can't wait to play with him already and he isn't even born yet!

"Visit Aun'w Ruby? I can't say t either. Is it just the downside of being a baby?

Dad smiled. "Yes, we'll be visiting Aunt Ruby and Uncle Julius. It's time for your first trip through the Duat."