Independence

I know that being the third child makes you grow up faster in a lot of ways. You have bigger sisters to show you what's possible (and allowed?) and you also don't have as much undivided attention from a parent. It can be a hard lot in life. I wonder how Miranda will do once her baby sister comes, and how she'll adjust to all that change.

Still, there's something to be said for her independence. She has, since she was strong enough, gotten food out of the refrigerator. She'll grab cheese sticks (which she brings to me to open), a box of strawberries (she brought up to my room and then proceeded to eat), and even a gallon of milk (half full) and a glass for me to pour it in (this was during my drugged out nap after my root canal).

And yet, that independence can lead to a bit of a mess. Not that much of the above led to many messes (the milk didn't spill, the strawberries were fine until she proceeded to pick the leaves off in my bedroom, etc). Today, that changed.

I guess my offering of honey-drizzled cheerios wasn't enough for breakfast. While I was working (yes working!) on the computer (remember the scrapbook I'm trying to finish before baby #4 arrives?), Miranda opened the fridge (nothing new here), got out some yogurt, got out a spoon, climbed up into her chair, opened the yogurt (I'm still wondering how), and started to eat. Maybe she got some help from her sister(s), but I think she pretty much did this on her own. The amazing thing was that she was eating it in her chair at the table! The not-so-amazing thing, and the part that makes me wish she weren't quite so independent, was the mess she made. She does rather well feeding herself, but yogurt? Well, a picture's worth a thousand words...

I don't know if you can see, but it's all over her chest, legs, and a nice large blob on her left hand. Not to mention the floor, table, and chair. So sweet of her to offer me a bite!