Taking Baby Proofing to a New Level

So way back when Miss A started crawling around we did some basic baby proofing. You know, outlet covers and putting unsafe stuff up out of reach. That seemed to do the trick. Sure she still managed to get into stuff but nothing really dangerous. The worst part of it all was having to tidy up whatever she'd gotten into.

Since she started walking three months ago the amount of trouble she can get into has been getting progressively worse. Somethings that stand out from those early days are finding her splashing in the toilet (yuk!) and discovering her in her room with bum cream all over her.



When we first brought her home from the hospital I remember cursing my love of older homes. Our hardwood floors are ridiculously creaky and often woke her up when we were on her way to put her into bed. Soon we all got used to the creaky floors. Now I have a new disdain for our home. Our cupboards are very... hmmm... what's the word? Cheap? Crappy? Either would do. I have a dream to replace them someday but for now, for now they'll have to do. The thing about these awful cupboards is that regular old baby proofy gadgets don't attach properly. So we've had to get creative.





So far they seem to be working well. It makes life a whole lot easier not having Miss A constantly hauling out everything from the cupboards. I know, how unfair of me. I do let her play with pots and pans sometimes but the problem is she has more fun just getting everything out than actually playing with any of it. And quite frankly, I find it exhausting.

Since she is rather tall for her age she can reach up to tables and to our desks. We have to make sure we don't leave anything near the edges or she'll pull them down. We had a Brita incident a couple of weeks ago. Water everywhere.

There are still some things that I haven't been able to find locks for. One being the garbage can. This is a necessity I think. She often goes into the garbage which I find totally disgusting and I tell her so. She could care less. She also enjoys throwing things such as toys or clothing into the garbage. The other day she threw one of her Dada's computer discs in. Luckily it was washable. I have tried teaching her to stay out but so far it hasn't worked. It just ends up being a lot of work for me washing the stuff that she throws in there.

A few different people have informed me lately that they didn't baby proof anything. They just taught their kids not to get into anything. To them I say “How nice for you.” I however seem not to possess the skills to do this. Or I have a more strong willed child. Or I'm lazy. In any case I find it easier to baby proof than to constantly be cleaning up the aftermath.

I think that all of you Mamas out there know that our husbands have a different “way” with the kids. I also know that Miss A seems to give her Dada a harder time with some things than she gives me. Example: Diaper Changes. She is not an easy kid for either of us to change but for some reason she seems to save up all her fighting strength for him. The same goes with stuff she shouldn't be getting into. She'll often get into way more trouble while he's looking after her. Because I work part time this means that I often come home to a very frustrated and exhausted Dada and a house than has that “lived in look”. Last night was the first time I've worked since some of the new baby proofing measures have been in place. Things were much more under control here and Dada seemed to be in rather a good mood. I think that's a good sign.



Maybe I'm whining. I'm sure all kids get into this much stuff. It's just new to me. I'm posting a list of the things she's been getting into. I may have forgotten some stuff. Let me know if your little angels have gotten into anything more interesting.

List of things Miss A gets into:

The CD/DVD drawer on the computer (we've added a locking code on our desktop)
our desks
tables
Drawers
cupboards
the garbages
bum cream
the toilet
The laundry
Our bedside tables
The cat food
The cat water