Mr. Independent (and Trouble)

Austin is a very independent boy.  I haven't been able to decide if its his personality, or him being slightly neglected because I've been so busy with a baby this past year, but either way... he is my most independent child.  He has poured milk by himself at least twice.  The first time he didn't spill at all, the second time he only spilled because the cup over flowed.  Pretty good I think for a two and a half year old.  I haven't been able to decide if this is good or bad.  Do I encourage and allow, or do I squash this before it gets out of hand?  Really... I have never let my kids do the kind of stuff he does.  He gets food out when he needs it and feeds himself.  I can't even think of everything he does, I just remember so many times thinking, "hmm, I normally don't let my kids do that, but he's really just trying to help himself."  I think it partly stems from him waiting patiently so much, that he just finally realized some of the stuff he had been waiting for he could just do it.  I think the first time he poured the milk he had gotten a cup and the milk, and was waiting for me for quite a while. I was busy with something, distracted and sidetracked, and the next thing I know he had poured himself a cup.  I hadn't meant for him to wait so long, it just happened.  Well, that has certainly blossomed.  He pushes chairs all around the house to get to where he needs and what he needs.  The other day I got off the phone to this:  

Austin also gets into all sorts of trouble if I'm not paying too much attention.  Just after the kids headed off to school one day, I found this:

And this:

And here's how it all started, I'm sure: