When Melissa went into labor, it was 10 days earlier than expected, so one of the first things I thought was, "Oh no! I still haven't baby proofed the house!"This was a task that had been on my mind for months, and I kept putting it off, so it's not like it really should have been a shock that it wasn't going to be done when Amelia came home. I'm sure if Melissa had gone late it still would not have been completed, but still, I imagined myself being able to get it done one weekend... some weekend in the future... the near future... really.
However it was not to be. Amelia came a bit early and the house did not magically transform by itself while we were in the hospital for three days of resting.
You can imagine my joy when I discovered that I did not actually have to have the house baby proofed yet. Amelia mostly slept those first couple months. Well, there were of course poopy diapers, long nights of crying and no possible comfort, etc. but nothing to require baby proofing.
However, as she gets older, it seems like her goal is to come up with new ways to be able to hurt herself. To begin with, she started lifting up her head. No need for alarm. Then she was able to grab at things. Still fine, it's not like I had ninja stars dangling in her crib. Then she started rolling around. No more leaving her lying on the diaper changing table while I go across the room to grab a tube of diaper cream, but this is easily remedied. I just need more foresight and organize everything within reach.
But then she started crawling. I had to start building up a bloccade in the living room to keep her where I can watch her. But she's also combinging this with her grabbing ability, so now I have to make sure my "danger things" are not just absent from her crib, but from the room in general. Recently she has started walking. The footstool in front of the door is no longer a sufficient impediment and the whole house is now a danger zone. Now I find myself putting covers on the outlets, and rubber bands on the cupboard handles.
These devices however seem only to interest Amelia all the more. I think her thoughts run something like this: The rubber band is not only makes fun noises when you pluck it, but it helps the cupboard door make a satisfying bang when you try to open it. The electric outlet covers look like they would taste good, if only I could get them out of this wall socket... I guess I'll just have to pick at it obsessively until I get it out.
