This morning Avery woke up at 7:15 (that is if you don’t count her waking up at 5:50 and coming into our room) and was wide awake. Despite my best efforts in my morning stupor to get Avery to go back to sleep or play or read quietly in her room, she was loud and ready to start the day. Avery was hungry and asked if she could get herself a cereal bar, to which I said yes.  It wasn’t long before Emerson and Harper too woke up and decided to join in on the breakfast preparation.  The cereal bar idea exponentially increased.  While I could hear the commotion lying in bed and I was thinking of the potential spills and the wasted fruit and money (I had just gone to Whole Foods last night and the fridge was stocked with all sorts of fresh berries) that was involved with this preparation, I was willing to accept the outcome, because they were showing their independence and beaming with pride as they did so.  I finally pulled my tired ass out of bed and brought the video camera and camera downstairs so that I could document this amazing experience I was witnessing.

As I was on my way downstairs, Emerson called me from the bathroom. Upon not answering her immediately, her request for me got more demanding and in a very loud matter of fact voice I heard “Mom, wipe my butt.”I tried to peak in the kitchen a few times and was met with resistance as they really wanted to make me proud. They told me they were making brunch so we wouldn’t have to have lunch. I managed to snap a few quick pictures on my way out.Meanwhile Harper became bored so she decided to be Santa Clause by putting panties on her head.An hour after Avery and Emerson started breakfast, it was ready! They had a common bowl each of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.  They each had an apple cereal bar and a huge bowl of dry cereal. Avery and Harper had yogurt and Emerson some cheese.  They even made me salad…arugula with raspberries on top!We had a feast…I couldn’t be more proud of them and they couldn’t have been more proud of themselves!