all by herself

Lucy came to Dyami yesterday, very proud of herself.
"Daddy! I got the ice cream down by myself and scooped out out!"
Dyami blinked. "Did you ask Momma if you could do that?"
"No! I did it all by myself! I got a chair, because it was too high, and I got it down from the shelf, and I used a spoon to scoop myself some!"
"Lucy, you need to ask one of us before you get a treat."
"But it was after lunch! We have treats after lunch."
Note: occasionally, if we have treats, we have them after lunch. As opposed to before lunch, which is usually when they are requested.

Other Notes to Self:
1. Place the ice cream (well, soy cream, same difference) up high enough in the freezer that small eyes cannot see it, not just not reach it.
2. Taking post-lunch snoozes leads to preschooler independence.
3. Let's decide that ice cream is a vegetable.
4. Take more post-lunch snoozes.
5. Surprisingly, preschoolers will serve themselves very sparing portions of treats when you leave it to them. In Lucy's case: no more than 2 tablespoons.
6. Sometimes, say yes to post-lunch treats. I mean, why not? Besides, she's just going to have it anyway.