Baby proofing

I've found that most parents fall into one of two camps when it comes to baby proofing. The first group identifies every possible danger, hires professionals to install gates, cabinet locks and hideous table bumpers. The second group fully intends to baby proof their home but suddenly finds their child mobile and ends up covering up outlets and hiding power cords moments before curious little hands seize them. Not surprisingly, I fall into the second camp.

Baby M is now 8 months old and he crawls, pulls up, cruises and even climbs. I am a little surprised at how quickly he progressed from tentative creeping to full speed ahead, multi-directional mobility. To give myself credit, I did make a few attempts at baby proofing before he started pulling up. We replaced our entertainment center, which consisted of precariously balanced baskets, glass shelves and a home-assembled Ikea TV stand with something a little more sturdy. I covered the outlets. I bought some furniture wall straps, but didn't install them because I couldn't figure out how to use the stud finder. I also bought some no-drill cabinet locks, but they are so difficult to open that we end up leaving them hanging unlocked on the cabinet handles. Baby M finds them irresistible and uses them to pull the cabinets open usually hitting himself on the head in the process. Luckily he hasn't shown any interest in actually taking anything out of the cupboards yet, just opening them. I guess I should only give myself half-credit for those last two.

But for the most part, I am finding out what I need to move / secure / gate off as we go along. At this point all of the little knick-knacks, candles, picture frames, etc. on my lower shelves have been moved and now sit on my kitchen counter until I can find a better place to put them. They have been replaced with random baby-friendly objects. Our shelves now feature a half-full plastic water bottle, an empty oatmeal container, a red ball and a variety of teething toys. Any dreams I ever had of being featured in Architectural Digest are over. Power strips have been quickly shoved behind file cabinets and only magazines I don't mind seeing shredded are on the coffee table. We've learned to keep the bathroom doors closed.

And there have been a few items that I didn't get to in time. During a recent cold snap our heater came on unexpectedly. Baby M crawled across the floor register, as he had done dozens of times, but this time is was hot and he ended up with a grid pattern seared into his hand. We're lucky he wasn't burned over more of his body. Its a horrible feeling to know that you didn't keep your child safe.

On a lighter note, I've also found it necessary to baby proof myself. Yesterday I was standing in the kitchen when I suddenly found myself without pants. Baby M had been trying to pull up on my legs but ended up pantsing me instead. Neither of us was very happy; Baby M did not accomplish his goal of standing up and I did not achieve my goal of wearing pants. I guess from now on I will wear a belt.