Alex the wiggler

It's about that time, folks. The time when the wiggles start. The time when you can't put one of the babies in their bouncy seat without strapping them in. Alex taught me this very important lesson in parenting and now I will share it with you!

Last week, I got the kids up around 7:30am and fed them all...usually the morning feeding is pretty low key. I put the boys in their boppys to look out the window and chat with each other, play with their rattles or hands...and Alex goes into what I call the "Frog and Monkey Chair"...basically her rainforest bouncy seat, where she can watch the animated frog and monkey (pretty creative name, huh?). She loves the chair and utters content little noises of amusement at the animals. Maybe she's telling them a story? Anyway, the kids usually fall asleep for a little snooze and I do some chores.

I was in the office, updating the page here, putting up pictures...and I hear Alex fussing a little. I mean, a little. I figured she was awake, so I put the finishing touches on the page and headed out to play with the princess.

Mind you, there was not one little peep coming from the other room until this moment...that is an important point!

I get out into the living room, and the now happy, cooing princess is playing with her hands...on the floor! Wait? What?! "How did you get there?! Weren't you in the chair?" I actually asked her this out loud, expecting an answer. Smugly not saying a word, she decided to let me figure this mystery out on my own! It was a test, I know...and she was teaching me. I had to be more careful with my little ones. She had wiggled herself all the way out of the deep seat, under the toy bar and onto the floor, without a sound, and without getting hurt. Actually, I think the reason she started fussing was because she was bored on the floor! Her head was nicely cushioned by the blanket she previously had on top of her and she was comfy, but bored. It was quite a funny little predicament! I laughed when I realized that she was ok and just what had happened.

Wow. I just stood there for a second, looking at her...wondering how it all happened and the hilarity of the situation was broken by the weight of what could have happened. If she was higher and fell, if she got caught on the toy bar, if the blanket fell on top of her.... Yikes! It was a sobering moment...and one lesson I won't forget!

I picked her up and hugged her tight. I thanked her for the lesson, buckled her in, and kissed her forehead. I was lucky and she is one smart kid.