The Learning Tower is supposed to keep small children safer while standing at the counter than if they were standing on a chair or stool. That idea doesn't take into account having a wild 22-month-old who uses the structure as a climbing gym. For example, not in the picture above how Mary is straddling the thin wedge, "balancing" as she tells me triumphantly. That is one of the more tame maneuvers she does on the Learning Tower, which is why I felt safe taking a photo (and I don't even pull her down from that position). I would love to capture a photo of how Mary gets down off the Learning Tower because it is truly the same maneuver as a gymnast dismounting from the uneven bars.
Chris and I have caught her on top of the filing cabinets twice this week. She'll climb up them while we're in the room with our backs turned.
Note the position of the baby doll above: This is a reenactment of how Chris found Mary, climbing out on the outside edge of the landing. You cannot tell, but she was above a full flight of stairs. (And you can see the real Mary poking her head through, laughing.)Photos I don't have yet are of how Mary now takes every opportunity of a door left open to climb the shelving in the upstairs linen closet and in the kitchen pantry all the way to the ceilings. Then I hear a little call, "Help me, Mama!"
This video shows how high the kids swing when Daddy pushes them. This is remarkable because John hated swinging (and wouldn't do it) until only a couple of months ago, and Mary is only 22 months old and is ridiculously fearless. I am not strong enough to push as high as Daddy pushes, so I now receive nothing but complaints when I push, despite the fact that I am the main swing-pusher (being available during the day for our hours of outdoor play). I now have to remind the kids daily of the rule, "I am not as strong as Daddy. If I hear one more complaint about my pushing, I'm sitting down in that chair and not pushing you at all!"
I got this from Joseph doing play doh one day... He wanted me to make a lizard with a long tail like Aunt Rachel did, but nothing I did was good enough, so I quit!
ReplyDeleteOh my. The picture of her on top of the filing cabinet reminds me of how my best friends daughter climbed to the top of the refrigerator when she was about Mary's age. She is in her early 20's now but I still remember that day.
ReplyDeleteAt the most she had 2 minutes to complete her feat and we were in right there with our backs turned. She pushed a chair over to a table next to the refrigerator and then onto the table to the microwave to the top of the refrigerator and there she sat eating a box of cookies.
Thanks for the memory - I'll have to email her mom and see if she too remembers that day.