Baby on the Move

My son "The Energizer" will soon turn nine. I remember the day when he turned one. At the time I wrote a story and thought this would be a good time to republish it.

Just before his birthday he was toddling around the house and getting into everything he shouldn't. It's amazing how my wife, the girls and I are constantly bouncing up from our seats to rescue little "Energizer" from the latest no-no he has come across. I never thought so many things could be within reach of this little bundle of energy. I don't think my own arms extend as far as his do!

Our living room has become a virtual fortress. We have a gate that blocks off entry to the kitchen, which seems to be have its own gravitational field. The instant the gate is opened it becomes the event horizon for a black hole. Spaceship "Energizer" is pulled towards the cooking area as though it was the most important place on earth. If he does pass the high barrier erected at the kitchen's entrance we do have security locks on the cabinets. Although, I have to admit, why we have childproof clasps on cabinet doors three feet above his head is beyond me. I suppose his mother is concerned that when he is 15 he shouldn't have access to the food and other goodies up there. Although, recalling my appetite when I was 15 I really can't blame her.

We have another gate that seals off the hallway leading to the back of the house. He has not yet learned how to climb it or open it, which is good. Woe to us, though, if we inadvertently leave it open! Like radar he homes in on it on those all too frequent occasions when one of us does leave it unlatched. One moment he is in the living room, the next we hear the slapping of tiny bare feet down the tile hallway floor. If the girls have left the playroom door open there will be a mad dash after their brother. God forbid that "The Energizer" finds one of their Barbie dolls and starts to sample one of its feet! More than once he has been found happily chewing away on a poor, yet tasty, hand or foot, much to the consternation of his older sisters.

If all the doors are closed and the gates are up, "The Energizer" is relatively safe. He has not taken to climbing the furniture yet. If he does I can only imagine our only choice will be to suspend everything from the ceiling. While I am not ready to take such a drastic step I can see it happening if his current level of energy and adventurousness continues. Already he has taken a renewed interest in the ceiling fan (as a baby its lazy spinning would keep him entranced for blessedly long periods of time).

"The Energizer" is very proud of his newly acquired ambulatory skills. Just last night he was stomping around the house blowing a plastic flute, heralding his arrival (as if his footfalls and squeaks of glee were not enough to announce his impending appearance). I don't recall his sisters being so physically active at this age. They both were, and still are, great talkers. Speaking is less important to "The Energizer" than constant motion. People say that is because he is a boy. I don't know if it is or not but I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world.

© 2001 by Gregory Giordano