Yesterday morning, while all of the kids were still sleeping, I was busily typing away when I suddenly heard 'motor' sounds coming from the playroom. A bit odd, but I assumed it was Owen. Although usually when he first wakes up, he comes downstairs and stands just out of view, giggles and scoots along the wall, until I notice him. The he loudly exclaims, "Hi Mommeee!!" in his high-falsetto voice, comes over for a hug, THEN goes off to play. This little motor-sound-maker was a little bit more like Colin, who is completely affable, and will wander off and play, without having to be noticed. But it couldn't be. Colin was in his crib. Asleep.
Like the awesome mom I am, I shrugged and kept typing. I'd lose my train of thought and my coffee would get cold if I got up to investigate.
Rylan comes down the stairs about 10 minutes later and comes in, asking, "Why is Colin in the playroom?". Ummmmm.... wait... what???
Damn! He's free! It was only a matter of time, but he figured how to get out of his crib. A couple a weeks ago he figured out how to open a door. In OKC he escaped from his bassinet when it was nap time - multiple times.
I never heard a thump. I don't know how he got out, but I assume he used the laundry basket of stuffed animals at the base of his crib as a landing spot. He also managed to open the door and slip downstairs without being noticed. This is the stuff of nightmares, people...
Dean removed the front of the crib last night, and we dug out the little bed rail that you put up to keep them from rolling out of the bed. Colin was absolutely delighted. He climbed into his bed immediately and started jumping up and down. Then, to amaze and entertain his audience, he belly-flopped off the side of his bed, onto the carpeted floor. Dean and I were horror-struck. Colin looked up and smiled. Then he got up and did it again. Five more times, even. Just as I suspected, my deepest fear is confirmed. He is the 'Hey!! Watch this!!!' kid.
I am horrible about recording when this-and-that happened, but I do seem to remember that all three - Rylan, Owen and now Colin seemed to pass the crib-to-bed milestone at about 22 months. With Rylan, I was absolutely terrified that she would roll out. I piled every pillow I could find around the base of the crib, just in case the bed rail somehow failed. With Owen, I think I used a couple. With Colin, the little belly-flopper, I didn't put any down. The pile of stuffed animals are there...but this kid is one tough nugget.
He is also the one that will turn me prematurely grey. He is the climber, the flinger, the thrower, the runner, the risk-taker, the one that will do anything for a laugh.
Be safe little man, be safe.
