notes to himself.

My little kindergartener loves oatmeal.

He's loved it for years now,

even asked Santa to bring it to him for Christmas two years ago.

I've always used quick oats, cooking them on the stove,

then adding an ice cube to their bowls to cool it off faster,

and serving it with brown sugar, and 

sometimes sprinkles.

But lately Nick has been very eager to gain independence. He wants to go places on his own (he tried to run away from home last week because I'm 'the worst mom in the world,' of course,) he wants to purchase things, order his own food at restaurants, dish his own plates at dinner, and make all his own choices.

So I thought I'd help him out by bringing home some instant microwave oatmeal and teaching him how to make it himself.

As I taught him the steps, he dashed away quick and came back with a paper and pencil, so he could take notes.

I almost died at the cuteness.

He was so observant, writing down how much water to add (2/3 c) and what buttons to press on the microwave (2 0 0) 

I love his steaming bowls of oatmeal drawn in each corner,

the hearts all around his name,

as well as the added notes of 

"I am 6" and "I am love."

But as you can see in the half-erased words over there on the right,
his final thoughts about the instant oatmeal were 
"Bleh."

Guess there's at least one thing I'll get to keep doing for him a little while longer.