Rookie Dad: Climbing the ranks

The Youngling is getting dangerously close to her first birthday and that means cake, messes and tons of progress that Rookie Dad is totally unprepared for.

The first progress, crawling, led to the initial gate leading from the living room to the dining room. That was easy. The second gate, from the hallway to the kitchen, was more involved (pricey). We wanted something sturdy yet easy for us aging adults to deal with. A metal swinging gate was just the ticket plus it's expandable for when we eventually have to corral The Youngling in to a smaller area by keeping her away from the hallway and the stairs leading to the second floor. I hear stairs can be dangerous for toddlers.

Then I learned that stairs are, in fact, dangerous for toddlers.

Last Saturday, as I tried to entertain the speedy little girl while her mom showered upstairs, I ran to the kitchen for some food (shocking). I figured that nothing could happen in the brief amount of time in which I was gone.

I was wrong.

In the 30 or so seconds I left The Youngling unattended she had crawled to the bottom of the stairs and pulled herself up to the second step. That elevation, while it nearly doubled her height, proved to be too much for her to handle. That's when I heard a solid "thud" and instant crying. Not just any crying but downright hysterical crying. The kind that makes the entire body shake. The kind of crying that happens with the eyes closed and fists balled up.

That's what can happen in 30 seconds. I think it's time to move the gate.