climbing out of crib and everything else...help!

Hi all-

Well, my little guy has started climbing out of his crib--and the first time he did it, he shimmied right up the crib and onto his dresser! I walked into his room after hearing questionable noises on his monitor, and sure enough, he was up there playing with his CD player. He had a look on his face like, Look what I did, Mom!! What do you do when the toddler outsmarts you???? He is climbing EVERYTHING. There is not a baby gate that can hold this kid--the gates, the crib, the barstools in the kitchen, the kitchen chairs...I think he is part-spider! Any suggestions?

And I'm too tired to even discuss his displays of affection for his new baby sister---he started by trying to pull her limbs off (usually while I was nursing...almost lost a nipple...), but now we've improved and instead, he likes to go over and rub the palm of his hand on her face. Will he ever be able to get within three feet of her without DH or I jumping up to defend her? I'm afraid I won't be able to even take pictures of them together!

Toddler exasperation...

We had a climber, too. Can you move the crib so that it doesn't give him access to greater heights? Or, gulp, move to a toddler bed.

For a few months, we turned all of our dining room chairs on their side so she couldn't use them as a stepping stone.

I know, it is really exasperating. Hang in there!

[PrincessFiona]

What worked for us has been me sitting there in the room. I have the rocking chair by his bed. I lay him down and don't make eye contact with him. I bring a book and put a small light on for myself. Anytime Aidan starts to climb out I simply pick him up gently and lay him back down...without eye contact and snuggling/talking etc.

It has really worked!

kris

[DCJenn]

I have no idea as ours just bounced down the stairs...

0 to 90 mph in one month.

Jenn

PS- we bought a playyard and nowhe's trying to figure out which toys are tall enough to climb on to break out of baby jail.

[Phoebe]

We've got a climber here too! I walked in the kitchen today and my 20 month-old was sitting on the table playing with her sister's toys. She hasn't tried to get out of the crib yet, thankfully!

No advice, except to watch them.

Jennifer

[PrincessFiona]

Wait until they figure out how to open the door and get out of the house. Aidan is truly our escape artist...I have to be hyper-vigilent.

Jenn, What happened to Nikolai? Did he fall down the stairs? How is your little dude doing with the english?

kris

[DCJenn]

Kris-

Fall would be putting it mildly. (This would be the event that precipitated the purchase of the Baby Jail)- somehow in the 2.3 seconds we weren't watching, he managed to climb BOTH flights of stairs and then bounced down- well, a few, steps. Big nice bruise on his forehead and some hysteria (mostly on the pediatric neurologist's part) and all is well. We did choose not to register him with the Russians until he was all healed up though!

He's doing well, super smart and is now mimicking our words. I expect 'real' words to happen any day now. The babble was partly in Russian so- English is coming along nicely!

He had his audiologist appointment today and was thoroughly bored after about 5 minutes. So...we have to go back. He was also diagnosed with Giardia and is on the medicine for that- but all other tests have come back fine. and once we get the Giardia cleared up, diaper changes shouldn't be quite as awful. (Rick has actually gotten the dry heaves from this boy!)

Jenn

[HeartRN]

Jenn--
Wow!!! It sounds like your little guy is coming along great. I'm glad he recovered from the fall. It's amazing the things kids withstand! Take care, and I hope the diapers get better soon!!!!

[Sheherezade]

UGGG. My boy had giardia when he was a year. I can still remember it. .

I second Kris' suggestion. That is the technique I used with my little climber when she was 18 mos. We started by moving her into a toddler bed, then we started "standing guard" at bedtime. Basically, I got a lot of reading done until she got the hang of falling asleep rather than running around. I don't remember it taking forever ... maybe a few weeks?

[Amiens]

So we have a climber too. I will chime in what has worked for us. Sitting in the room and gently putting Brigham back did not work. We would sit in the kids room until he fell asleep, but he would wake up and climb in bed with Emma. We would discover this when we checked on them before we would go to sleep.

We ended up getting Brigham a twin mattress, and putting a double sided bed rail on it. His mattress is on the floor just as Emma's is. We finally bought bed frames, and those will get put up when we move into the new house- their IKEA, so their still in the box waiting to get loaded on the truck.

Brigham stays in the twin bed better than when he was in the crib. I think for him it was a case of "Oh big sis is doing it why can't I?" The only thing we have to contend with is Brigham likes waking up at the crack of dawn, usually at 630 am, and there have been times he has woken up with Matt at 500 am. Lucky for us, if you tell him to go back to bed, he listens and will go back to his bed.

However, Emma wasn't a climber, but we moved her into a twin bed at 16 months to preparation for Brigham's arrival. Our ped said it would help ease the transition and not make Emma feel like she was being booted from her spot.

If you're not ready to move to move him from his crib, then I have had friends use the crib tent.

As far as the "loving" displays of affection. It will pass. Emma was 19 mos old when Brigham was born. The first two weeks she avoided him and I like the plague. After that she started in with big hugs, and "love pats" Just gently remind him to be gentle, and show him. We would take Emma's hand and show her how to touch baby brother's head, or cheek. In regards to nursing- the first four to six months I remember putting on movies a lot when it was time to nurse, or requesting Emma get a book and either sit on the floor or on the couch next to me. Another suggestion given to me that helped get Emma more accustomed to having Brigham around- I let her help at bathtime and during diaper changes (if I wasn't in a rush).

Pictures will come....the best that we have of the two of them are at Brigham 6 mos, Emma 2 yrs; and Brigham 9 mos, Emma 2 1/4 yrs. We recently did pics, and it was hard-- Emma is at that age where she is cooperative and loves to smile, Brigham is at the age of "I hate formal pictures!" We have a picture where Emma is all smiles, and Brigham is broken down in tears.

Hope this helped! I hated hearing this (and will hear it in the next 6 months)--- but this too shall pass......

Crystal

You all crack me up! It's nice that we can have a sense of humor about these crazy kids. I appreciate all of the suggestions...

As long as I can get DH to stop looking at me like, "Why did you birth me this devil spawn?" I'm sure I'll be able to take it one day at a time with the trial-and-error...