Windows automatically updated itself w/o my permission

I turned on my laptop this morning (9/15/14) and checked for updates. I saw that I had some important ones to install so I clicked them and it said that other updates are now installing.
I hit Restart and the screen said "Installing xx of xx updates, do not turn off your computer"
This was the first time that I had been to WU in many days.

I've never have updates set to automatic, it's always been "Notify me".

How/why/could/did WU automatically turn itself on to Auto mode?

And I know for a fact that there were 44 optional updates a few days ago, now there's only 5.
When in Auto mode, does WU install optional updates too?
Or do optional updates become irrelevant and MS just removes them from the list?

I just installed Live Essentials on Saturday 9/13. That must be it. Thanks Tookeri.

But I still don't know why the Optional updates have changed in quantity. Maybe as suggested...they've become redundant. One of those now missing optional updates was a drivers for Alps.

I'll look at my sister's laptop. I have here's set to Notify Me.