Mary Escapes

I don't use baby gates often, especially in this house with a traditional layout (individual rooms with doors that close instead of an open floor plan). The one baby gate I have downstairs has a hole cut in it for the cat to pass through: she is too old and arthritic to jump over the gate anymore. In all the time I used this baby gate with John, he didn't pass through that hole, he just focused on the gate blocking his way and ignored the giant hole in it. (And what does that say about his temperament?)

Last night I blocked Mary in the den so I could do some kitchen work, probably only the third time I've ever done such a thing. I posted her reaction to the first time I blocked her in there: let's climb over!

As I was washing the dishes, I heard Mary shriek in triumphant joy . . . but her voice sure didn't sound like it was coming from the den. It sounded like it was coming from another part of the house. That's odd. I poked my head in the den where John was being an invalid on the couch and Chris was engrossed talking on the phone . . . and I didn't see Mary. I raced through the dining room and turned the corner to see her half way up the stairs (which she climbs quite well, thankyouverymuch).

The little escape artist had simply gone through the gaping hole, like any logical child would do. So I reset the scene and filmed her in action.