{Busy Body}

Little Miss Bailey has been quite busy lately.  And busy is putting it nicely.  You can't hardly take your eyes off of her or else she is into, on top of, under, eating, messing, dumping, destroying or sitting on something she shouldn't be!  I think it is safe to say she is our most ACTIVE toddler!  I am constantly following her around, picking up after her, removing her from dangerous situations or removing things from her mouth/hands that she shouldn't have.  There are very few things left in our house that are within her reach.  If it is, that means she hasn't found it yet and it will soon be secured with child safety locks!

Here are a few documented incidences, however this is not a complete record of the total destruction she causes on a daily basis.  There is not enough data storage on any technological device to record that.

•  One day I couldn't find her. I searched for several minutes {our house isn't that big, there are only so many places she could be!} to the point that I started to get nervous. I finally found her..she was sitting on a bucket in the closet, quietly contemplating the cosmos I'm sure.  She also likes to hide in my bedroom curtains. Very stealth like.  If hide and seek had teams, she'd be on mine. 
• She also likes to play on the tv/computer like her big sisters. Has even figured out the step stool really helps! She has found that the wireless mouse is fun to throw across the room and makes a fun noise if you bang it on the wall several times.
• She discovered that pretty much any object is long enough to help her press the water dispenser on the fridge.  There is no lock. Nothing will stop her. After getting soaked multiple times, I have made the executive decision to stop changing her clothes. She'll dry...eventually.

• She has learned that standing on the toilet is fun. Lots to see up there and it kind of freaks mom out.
• Playing in the street in another favorite pastime.  It is especially fun to do it barefoot and run from her mother when she comes after her!  It is more enjoyable if you have a toy to push while you are at it.

 

•  Instead of playing with her toys, she just dumps them out all over the family room and sits in the bucket instead!  Then she screams and cries when she can't get out.
• She has learned to maneuver our chairs and use them as a means to get to higher ground.  I found her on the counter eating Lauren's bubble tape.  This is 2 days after she dumped out the bucket of animals and used it to stand on.  She was then able to find a new pack of cinnamon Trident on the counter and proceeded to eat the entire pack, less 3 pieces. Wrappers and all.
• She loves to remove all the books off the book shelf in the girls room.  Then sit in the pile of books.  I am hoping this is at least a precursor to a love of reading.

But then that crazy girl does something adorable like make me crack up because she thinks it's hilarious to wear my sunglasses. Or when we giggle and play and have fun together. Just me and her. Or she sweetly snuggles up to me on the floor and starts playing with her hair during nap time and falls asleep peacefully in my arms. Or when she gets caught doing something she shouldn't and quickly gives me the finger shake and a "no, no, no!"

 

It's in these sweet, rare moments that I determine, I will overlook the chaos.  I will ignore the messes and the fact that because of the constantly spilled water and food, my floors are never clean.  I will put everything else aside to watch her every move and keep her out of harms way.  I will teach her to clean up the basket of sippy cups she has dumped our for the 8th time today.  I will show her how to put the kitchen utensils and silverware back in the drawers, instead of in my laundry baskets.  I will remember to shut the laundry room door instead of leave it open and find her scaling the shelving looking for something more interesting to play with.  I will remind her big sister to keep her markers out of reach thus preventing her from coloring all over her hands, arms, face, legs and clothes.  I will keep the bathroom doors closed, therefore keeping her out of the toilet.  I will keep all trash cans 3 feet in the air and out of her reach.  I will have Dean install new child locks on the cupboards since she has out smarted the ones we have.  I will hide all packages of wipes, diaper rash cream, hand sanitizer, purses, diaper bags, food, and/or beverages, unless I want to see it dumped out on the living room rug.  I will teach her to play with her toys instead of throwing them across the room or in the washing machine.  I will do this because I have been told, someday I will miss the craziness of having a toddler in our home.  I'm not yet convinced, but better safe than sorry.