Busy Days

It’s been a busy week at the Kroesche house. Now that Jeremiah is crawling, he keeps us on our toes. For mainly crawling on his stomach, that little guy can move fast. Plus, he cut one new tooth last week, and it looks like another is pushing its way through. It’s been enough to keep him (and us) up most nights.

With Jeremiah being mobile, we’re definitely in the “no touch” stage. Sometimes we leave things out in the open to teach him not to touch them (with us right there, of course). And other times, especially when I’m busy, we block them off. Here’s how one afternoon went at our house this week while I was trying to get some cooking done.

Jeremiah: (cry, cry) “Ma-ma! Ma-Ma.” Goes on for 10 minutes or so, until Mom comes to pick him up.

Mom: Have Jeremiah play in the kitchen with some spoons and Rubbermaid containers.

Jeremiah: crawl over to the stove (which was on)

Mom: “Jeremiah, that’s a no-touch.” Move Jeremiah to the other side of the room.

Repeat the last 2 lines above. Twice.

Mom: Move Jeremiah into the living room, where the plants are already blocked off because he pulled one over the day before.

Jeremiah: Crawl over to the dog’s dish and try to pull it over.

Mom: “Jeremiah, that’s a no-touch.” Move him away.

Repeat the last 2 lines above. Mom blocks Maggie's dish with chairs.

Jeremiah: Crawl into the hallway.

Mom: Shut all the other doors so he can’t get into any trouble.

Jeremiah: Find the one thing that could get him into trouble—the night light—and try to pull it out of the plug-in on the wall.

Mom: “Jeremiah, that’s a no-touch.” Take out the night light and replace it with a safety plug. Go back to cooking.

Jeremiah: Play quietly and contentedly for a while, until . . .

Maggie: “Yelp!”

Mom: Make Maggie go outside so Jeremiah can’t pull on her ears, tail or skin anymore. Finally get Jeremiah settled in high chair with a rice rusk and get cooking done. Weep with joy when Dad comes home to help!