Nature vs. Nurture

Most school mornings go like this:

• I quietly wake up Louie and Benny at 7am so that Charlie can get a few more minutes of shut-eye (this doesn't always work).
• They come down to the living room where their clothes are laid out, often items that they have picked out the night before.
• They eat breakfast, usually cereal or cinnamon toast with juice.
• I have to remind them (multiple times) to be quiet when brushing their teeth because Meredith's room is right by the bathroom.
• If need be, they put on their coats, hats, gloves; put their backpacks by the front door; then plop down on the couch to watch Arthur or Martha Speaks.

Today I found the three boys on the couch poring over a Oriental Trading Company-type catalog. They were getting ideas for birthday parties--theirs and other people's--and other ideas for get togethers we could have.

Of course, I jumped right in and joined in the fun. Not sure if this is something that they have learned from their crazy mother, or if it's something already hardwired into them.