Have It Your Way

As soon as Amaya started going to preschool, she discovered Oreos. They were not a cookie that we normally kept at home, and she asked if we could get some. How could I say no? Oreos are near and dear to my own heart. They were a cookie I didn’t really embrace until I went away to summer camp. At Silver Lake, they were serious currency, smuggled in by many a camper, and hidden in their trunks. I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about, but after several late-night cookie sessions, I was hooked. On visiting day, I hit the supermarket and stocked up on Oreos so I would have a supply of my own. It had been years since I had even considered buying one. Of course, I read labels and ended up buying Newman-O’s instead of actual Oreos. Amaya chafed for a bit at the substitution but quickly realized that these cookies were equally delicious. The first time we ate them together, she watched in horrified fascination as I scraped off the filling and discarded it. I explained that I preferred the cookies without it. When we opened our most recent package of cookies, I pulled out the homemade Cool Whip. I separated the cookie, scraped out the filling, and handed her half. Then I showed her how to dip it in the Cool Whip and eat them together. She really enjoyed that cookie. But next time around, she used a regular cookie for dipping and informed me that double filling was even better.