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Did you ever wonder why there are so many childproofing things on the market?

Your answer probably depends on what kind of children you have.

When Ellie was a wee newborn, I had Jason install locks on all the lower cabinets. I put plug covers on every single outlet. I replaced the dangerous door stops with child safe ones. In short, I baby proofed our home. Around a year later, I saw a Today show where parents were actually hiring people to come do this for them. Not only did the professional baby proofers do the things I had done, but they also put locks on the refrigerators and the toilets, and did a few other things that I hadn't thought of. By then though, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on what kids did and did not get into, so I felt confidant that I didn't need those additional items. I even wondered why people felt the need to go so far, I mean, they did watch their children, Right?

Fast forward five years later. We've since had two more babies. Annie didn't get into anything. In fact, when we put the addition onto our home, I didn't even put outlet covers on the outlets. In fact during the addition, she and Ellie rarely even noticed the piles of tools and construction paraphernalia that accumulated around our house. Annie learned to crawl amongst the rubble, barely giving a glance to hammers and nails and drywall paste. I watched her of course, and when I realized that she had no desire to explore that stuff, my baby proofing standards pretty much disappeared.

And then came Austin.

A few days ago I was telling my friend Alana some of the antics he's pulled lately. Here's just a few...

He unplugged the baby monitor and had the plug in his mouth.

He somehow managed to reach the fan on/off knob in his room, and remove it. We found it under his bed.

He removes the sheet from his bed. Daily.

He can open some doors.

He will race towards an open door, any open door, as fast as his little legs can go. He is faster than me, my only advantage is that I have longer legs.

He's climbed/fallen out of his highchair, bed, and the Target shopping cart.

These are just a few of the many stunts he has pulled. Which prompted me to say the other day...He is the reason for the baby proofing isle!

I recently invested in something I said I would NEVER buy...


Yes, I put my child on a leash.

Be careful what you say, my friends with none or just one child, be careful! :)

I plan on investing in some of these.

Probably this too.

And this.

Not to mention the many outlet covers I need to install!

Oh, and we need some stronger door locks. These ones that Jason installed when sweet Ellie was a baby, you know, the ones that easily deterred the two girls we have, yeah...they're not quite cutting it anymore. Austin has learned that if you YANK on the door over and over again REALLY hard, it will finally open.

So, if your one of those parents, like I was, that never quite understood why people needed all that stuff...Be careful. Don't judge. God may just give you a little blessing like my sweet Austin!