Vaseline

This is it. The beginning of the end. The end of naptime as I know it; the end of peace and quiet and keeping things in easy to reach places.

Gabriel got out of his crib during naptime today. Unlike the girls, who a while back got out of their cribs by using their dresser as a step stool, Gabriel got out on his own. No furniture to brace against, just plain old climbing skills. There was no crying or fussing when he landed on the floor, so that must not have been too traumatizing. I think the trauma was reserved completely for me and Garrett when we decided to open the door and let the animals out of their cages.

We knew someone had gotten out of bed. We could hear little hands playing with the door handle, which we have already baby proofed with knob covers to prevent escapes. So I anticipated a messy room when I opened the door. I expected strewn diapers, toys all over the place, clothing thrown on the floor. But I forgot about the ointments and creams on the changing table. Oh, how I forgot.

Vaseline. Everywhere.

I opened the door and three sets of eyes turn to me. Silence. Gabe is standing next to Abigail's crib. Abby and Amelia are still in bed, but the sheen on their faces says they have been partaking in the revelry. Amelia is covered in greasy vaseline and struggling to grip the fingernail clippers I keep in the basket on the changing table. Abigail and Gabriel have been smearing vaseline all over the slats on her crib. There is vaseline on the carpet, the toys, the furniture, the sheets, and their clothes. Clean diapers littered the floor. I should have taken a picture.

I got the kids in the tub and Garrett got to work cleaning the bedroom. There's a nice polished look to the kids' cribs now. Mostly what this episode has me thinking is that this may really be the turning point in my peaceful bedtime respites. I feel like I may as well move the furniture back the way it was before, when the girls learned how to get out of their own cribs. I liked the arrangement better that way, and if they're going to get out, what does it matter if it's one or all three? I'll need to make some adjustments in their room though. No more ointments or powders. I may have to pare down on the toy overload too. We just took three boxes of stuff to the Goodwill drop box this weekend and it feels like I need to fill fifteen more. This is a messy, messy age.

Any thoughts on whether I should make them sleep in helmets from now on?