On The Move

Our house is officially the play yard of two little boys. Both fellas are now crawling about. Here, there and everywhere. Chase has been for a month now, and Cody just finally figured how to maneuver those legs of his. It's rather comical, actually. Kind of like watching a real-life showing of the Tortoise and the Hare. Chase, darting at mock-seven speeds and Cody slowly creeping his way about. It truly solidifies the flavors of their different personalities.
Since Chase has made himself bleed and received several bruises from our coffee table, it is now in hiding. I'm rapidly being broke in to the whole realm of boys. Which apparently entitles them to necessary roughness. I'm working hard at not cringing every time they injure themselves. We have enforced a "no-touch, no-talk, no-eye-contact" policy when they fall. They seem to bounce back better that way. (Although, I must admit, I fail miserably at following my own policy.)
In our attempts to keep up with them, we've since re-arranged our home. "Baby-proofing" they call it. Trying to think smarter than a baby. The stairs were my first concern. Chase isn't fully aware that he can't climb them. But he's determined to try. I refuse to negotiate on this one. It had to be gated off. And, since I'm a stickler for "free is better than cheap", I enlisted Hubs and together we concocted a homemade gate. With Hubs doing all the manual labor, of course. Well...with a little help from a hoolie.

 

Viola. Removable gate. Repurposed old shutters.

Our other dilemma involves the fact that Cody love, love, loves his walker. And I do mean love. Chase is dumbfounded with it. He can't seem to make the thing move. In fact, he rather prefers to use it to pull himself up with. Do you see the problem here? Moving walker. Unsteady stander. Yah...we've learned to two don't mix. And, when in his walker, Cody is a raging lunatic running (yes, running) around the house. Tearing up whatever and whomever is in his path. Including his little brother. So. When Cody's doing his walker thing, Chase is banished to the living room. Behind bars. Yes, we pet-fence our children. No need to worry...see the look on his face? He loves it. Ok. Not really...

I'm not gonna lie. We're all a bit terrified where this new-found freedom might lead. Two babies running in two directions. Oooooh, the trouble they're going to make.