zoom - zoom

a baby on the move is a whole different being from a baby who peacefully lies still in one general area.  we knew our lives were going to change when dax started moving around, we'd even joke about it sometimes - but we were just not prepared for how quickly he'd get going once he did finally get going - and what all he'd be into.

it seems that the tried and true statement about kids not wanting to play with their toys, but only with the box is forever reigning true.  dax wants to play with anything but his toys.  and even worse, it's not that he does not want to play with toys, but he wants to play with things that are not safe for little babies to play with.  he's like a magnet to destruction.   it seems like all day long i am saying this same phrase over and over and over again - "no, mommy's".  no matter how many times it's uttered dax just looks at me, cracks a smile, and keeps playing with whatever i am telling him not to.  he is obsessed with the following:

• laptop cord
• power strip
• telephone cord (that was nailed to the base board until he ripped it up, flinging a nail across the room)
• large books (oracle) from the bookshelf
• keyboard (from any computer, except the one i let him use)
• phone cord (yes, my work phone has a cord - how very 80's of it)
• dogs (especially the one that is not so understanding of his too rough grasp)

i feel guilty to constantly be saying "no, mommy's", but even when i pick him up and point him in the other direction he simply drags himself right back where he wants to be.  nothing can distract him.  it's like all hands on deck - mission must be accomplished - must - get - this - laptop - cord - disconnected - from - said - laptop - and - into - my - mouth!  he is one persistent little guy.  i honestly admire his dedication to the task.  it's hard for him to drag himself over to an area and raise up to grab things that aren't his (things we've so nicely baracaded and tucked away), yet he does it over and over again, and with mad skill.

we've put up more baby gates to help to keep him contained (and safe) while i work upstairs.  it's easier for us to put (friendly) the dog up here in the office with us now with this new gate in place, and it helps keep dax in the room.  this morning he decided he would use the gate as a toy and he ran his passie over the gate and screamed to hear it echo in the stairwell and foyer.  he knows how to rock it.  will says he was like a prisoner screaming "attica - attica"!

he used to be able to hang out in the walker (what we call his car) and drive around the down stairs while i cooked dinner.  however, that is probably no longer an option since we saw him standing up in the walker and leaning to one side to reach for an antique chair as he lifted one of the wheels off the ground.  game over.

if you put him on the floor in the kitchen he will immediately head to the dog food and water dishes.  they must have "baby come here" written all over them.  right now he is only safe when i am cooking while he is in his jumper.  some days he is kinda jumped out by dinner time, so i have to wait until daddy gets home and can play with him before i can actually cook.  we're considering another pack n'play for down stairs, but i hate to keep him cooped up in a netted play yard.

hopefully we'll soon find some creative things to keep daxy interested, occupied, and contained so he will be happy and safe while still on the move.