I was never one to “baby proof” my house. I didn’t buy the little outlet covers, never strapped any of my cabinets closed, and I didn’t even own a baby gate until this year. I was very much a “helicopter mom” when we were at home – so my girls never had a chance to get in to anything when I wasn’t looking… I am still always looking.
The one thing I DID do though was get all neurotic about the bathroom doors being closed. I remember vividly waking up in the middle of the night when the Teen was about 2 and she had wandered into her bathroom and promptly painted the walls – and the dog – with her blue Dora the Explorer toothpaste. It’s a wonder she survived that night.
Since both girls are way past the age of needing to lock them out of the “Fun House” of bathrooms (can I get a collective Halleluyerrrr on that!?), I have gotten pretty lax on caring about doors being closed. I still catch myself absentmindedly closing the doors as I walk down the hall, but for the most part I have past the point of going batty over an open bathroom door.
Then I got kittens.
First of all, I had forgotten how much having kittens was like having a toddler around. For starters, I don’t remember kittens teething…. but every book and box in my office has little chew marks on the corners. Everything on the floor is an open invitation to either be thrown around the room rugby style or chewed on – most likely both. All three of them follow me from room to room no matter what – especially the bathroom where they want to be a part of whatever is going on – from playing with the cord of the curling iron to trying to join me in the bathtub.
I should have bought stock in Cottonelle though, as the kittens have had fun destroying more rolls of toilet paper than the four of us could even use. What is it about a new roll of toilet paper that is more intoxicating than the umpteen catnip toys laying all around the house that the dog is constantly trying to bury in the back yard?
So I am back to being all psychotic about the bathroom doors being closed again and you will hear me screeching at Mike and the girls to close the doors. However, until I buy stock in Cottonelle, that’s just how life is going to be around here.
*sigh*
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