What to do about a climber?

[mommax3]

And Sally- I can not believe your Luke was crawling at 4.5 months.

I couldn't believe it either. He couldn't get up on all fours at that point, but he did a wicked fast combat crawl....he was like a snake all over the house.

Speaking of knives.....when Luke was two, he got the entire knife block off of our countertop, carried it upstairs to the loft, took the knives out, shoved most of them under the couch cushions, threw one over the railing at one of the cats below (a harpooning attempt?), at which point I caught him. What had I been doing all this time? Peeing. I swear to God, he did all that in about three minutes. It is a miracle the kid is still alive.

He could scale our 8 ft. privacy fence (which had no cross-pieces on it except at about 6 ft. up) by the time he was four. He was the most active child I have ever been around, and I have been around LOTS of kids. Neither of his brothers did anything that surprised me......Luke had prepared me for just about anything as a parent. He is much easier now!!!!

[SuzySunshine]

Sally, you're making me less and less excited about getting my boy!

[MrsK]

So, Sally. . . do you still have that play pen? You are freaking me out!

Incidently, my youngest brother was like that. He ripped a "door" into the side of the playpen and used to escape. Then he'd steal small appliances and take them apart. Or once, he stole a pie that was cooling. He was about 2. Mom found the remains under his bed.

[mommax3]

I don't have the playpen anymore.....I really didn't need it for my other two, although I used it to keep Joel safe from Luke in the beginning! I have to say that Luke was a ton of fun, even if I had to watch him like a hawk. He was rarely mean or defiant, just *very* busy. I am glad I had him first, though.

I was telling some of these stories at his 8th grade graduation party and the other moms (who have only known him since 5th grade) were incredulous and couldn't believe I was talking about the same kid. However, anyone who knew Luke at any point up to about his 8th birthday would have believed every word.

Cheri, take heart.....only one of my three was that way, so hopefully you have nothing to worry about. And if you end up with an active one, you will earn your stripes as a parent AND have lots of great stories to tell someday!

[DCJenn]

The active ones are pretty funny. Scary as all get-out but amazing to watch. Some days I'm just incredulous as to how he's ended up where he has. (and my husband [who used to climb to the roof of the house with his step-brother so that they could jump into the pool from the roof] just says, "because he's a boy and because he can."

I find a glass of wine helps.

Jenn

[alison]

What an active boy, Sally! I love reading these Luke stories! And it sounds like he's turning into quite a young man (with his cooking skills and all! ).

I have no advice for you, Cheri. I think anything I say pales in comparison to Sally's anecdotes and advice.

My brother was super active. My mom says that he used to rattle the bars on his crib so hard that the crib would travel across the room.

[v-girl]

Kenny climbs everything and anything -- even climbed into his playpen (where he does time outs). I just pray that he doesn't fall and get hurt because I haven't found a way to keep him from climbing. Parks are not relaxing for us. He goes straight to the big kid playgrounds and starts climbing -- rock walls, ladders -- doesn't matter how high, he's going all the way to the top. And I follow. LOL

At home he does pull-ups on the kitchen counter.

Evie does that too -- the pull-ups on the kitchen counter, or car door handle, or whatever she can find.

[MrsK]

I heard a scary story the other day. My friend's 5yo niece burned her foot climbing on the stove.

[peggyfromwastate]

The active ones are pretty funny. Scary as all get-out but amazing to watch. Some days I'm just incredulous as to how he's ended up where he has. (and my husband [who used to climb to the roof of the house with his step-brother so that they could jump into the pool from the roof] just says, "because he's a boy and because he can."

I find a glass of wine helps.

Jenn

I used to jump off the roof into the pool all the time... It was only about 15' above the water tho!