Early Warning System

When we moved Claire from her crib to her big girl bed, we gated her room at night.  We didn’t want her running around the house at night, and we weren’t quite ready to give up the benefits of having her caged. She was still able to get to the gate and call for me if she needed something, and it got to where she insisted that the gate be in the doorway whenever she went to bed.

Then, one morning, she almost didn’t make it to the bathroom in time…and it was my fault.  She’d called for me, but I dilly-dallied.  Disaster was narrowly averted, but it was enough of a warning to tell us that it was time to take the gate out of the doorway.  Claire took some prompting, but finally she agreed to sleep in her room without the gate, and we told her to get up to go potty if she needed to, and she has!  We shut the gate at the top of the stairs in the living/dining room, just in case she wanders around at night, and I put the gate in the door to my office so that she won’t get online and chat with her buddies late into the night. 

That, and her door squeaks.  It’s a loud spooky creeking noise.

And, we’re not going to fix it.

Yes, the noise is annoying, but it also serves as a neat little early warning device.  After hearing the sound, we have about 15 to 20 seconds to get our act together and prepare for the cheery little face peeking at us from the side of the bed.  Most of the time, she chirps, “Guess what!  It’s  morning!  Did you know that!?  It’s light outside, Momma!”  Sometimes, she’s not as chipper.  Sometimes, she’s been scared by a dream and runs to our room, begging for Daddy to protect her.

Either way, it’s good to know that she’s on her way…because there’s nothing quite as startling as to wake up and find someone’s little eyes inches from your face.

I’m sure that day will come…but for now, we have a squeaky door to warn us.