Wintery Wildplay & Banana Toffee Muffins

It's been exactly one year ago that I was baking banana bread with baby Faye in the sling. This year she is wearing an apron and helping me peel the bananas and scooping the dough into the tin. Say what?
I remember being pregnant and telling Dave the things I am looking forward to doing with the little one, one day. Reading books was on that list and also baking. I didn't really think that it would happen so soon.

We also mixed up the vegan banana bread recipe a little adding Frothy Toffee Chocolate (yum!!!) and baking the dough in muffin tins, which not only looks cute but also really shortened the baking time. 
They also turned out less mushy, in a good way. Full success.

So here is the full recipe again:
Just add the chocolate and reduce the time in the oven if you opt for muffins. :)
I also doubled the amounts!

After all the muffins we needed to get a move on and met friends at the Centennial Park Wild Play Garden. SO good. It was my first time there. They could not have done a better job if they tried.  The only bummer was that they keep the water play area on during the Winter and as you know, Faye loves water. After several attempts at
keeping her away so she won't fully wet herself in the cold weather, we had to leave the playground. She would find her way all the way from the other end of the park back to the water and won't give up :( Determination is surely one of her traits at the moment.
I can't wait to return in warmer weather, so I can actually let her loose and have fun in the water.

Other than that we had a great time.
We also made a little measuring stick so we can keep track of Faye's growth. You know, the kind of where you stand against the wall and draw a line above your head.

Oh motherhood, I am relishing all these moments and time with her while she is little. I am trying my best, but oh dear, there is a lot to learn. She is always up to something new and this Mama needs to keep on her toes. Faye is running, climbing, taking over other kids scooters at the playground ( I might have to get her one!) and kicking soccer balls around.

Looking after a toddler is very different from the baby stage, we need some rules and boundaries and I have to learn to be ok with a few protesting tears here and there.
Easier said than done when it's your very own little newborn...
At the same time, this age is so exciting and fun. Did I mention fun?
And all these little words she keeps babbling... my heart explodes a few times every day.