Climbing Jimi's Ladder

Jimi has learned to climb. Up on the couch, up on the window seat, up on the drums, up into the crib. Yes, up into the crib. The house was eerily too quiet the other day, and I knew he was playing in his "child-proofed" room. I went to check on him and there he was...scaling the side of his crib. At first I was freaked out, but then I realized that the THUMP I had heard earlier must've been from a previous attempt, and it didn't seem to hurt him. Now we're in plans to build a toddler bed, since we have received great advice and skill sets and tools from our previous Window Seat venture.

Last Friday I decided the time had finally come to weed my flower bed. It has "cooled" off into the mid-80s, and it had rained earlier in the day and was not too humid. It was a perfect opportunity for weeding. So, even though Jimi has been taking steps, he wasn't a fluent walker yet, so I put him in his walker and he went out with me. As I was weeding, I noticed him beginning to go down the driveway towards the drainage ditch that runs through our front yard (gotta love the South). It is a drop off of about 3 feet, so I yelled at him to stop. He did stop. Then he smiled, and took off again...and tumbled off the driveway into the ditch. Once he started running I responded in-kind towards him, but I was too far away/too slow to catch him.

He didn't fall out of the walker, and despite being a little bruised, he was fine. Whew! That was a close one. Imagining what I must've looked like running towards him reminds me of a story of when I was a toddler.

My dad and brother were outside putting Christmas lights up, as is our custom, on the day after Thanksgiving. I was outside "helping" while my mom was making dinner. Their kitchen is situated with the stove being in the island, so that she can look outside while cooking. I guess my dad and brother went up and expected me to keep playing in the rocks and landscaping. No, sir. I wanted up, too! I do actually still remember my mother running down the driveway, arms flailing, trying to get someone's attention to get her baby off of the ladder! When she finally reached me, I was half way up to the roof. I imagine that her heart skipped a beat that day.

I guess all in all kids are kids and boys will be boys. I try to keep a watchful eye on Jimi, while still letting him have fun and experience his own adventures. While it's doubtful he will remember what his pregnant mother looked like running down the hill towards him, it is certain he will give me many more opportunities to run.