Stair Climber

Sometimes I hide from the girls.  Sometimes I get Hugo to play with them downstairs or upstairs or in between, so that I can be elsewhere and get something done.  If they don't see me, all is well.  Once I've been seen all they want to do is climb me.

We encouraged Hugo to figure out climbing the stairs pretty quickly.  We worked on climbing up and then climbing down again on and off for about three days until he was a pro.  Has never had a problem on the stairs.  No falls.  A few slips due to socks on his feet, but no falls.   The boy ran and jumped up and down the stairs and all 34 lbs. of him sound like the heaviest hippo you could ever dream of.

I haven't encouraged the girls to do anything with the stairs AT ALL.  I've wanted them to flat out ignore them.

Well, late this afternoon found me hiding in front of the computer while the girls played with Hugo in what we still call Sheri's apartment, the first floor.  I could hear Marlo calling (grunting) for me.  She makes all sorts of un-lady like noises.  She makes a lot of the same grunting, animal, monster type sounds I remember Hugo uttering.  So, I was hiding and she was calling and before I knew it, the sounds seemed much closer. 

I got up to investigate and found her half way up the staircase!  I know as soon as I hit POST I'm going to get a call from Rachel who has already given me the gate at the stairs lecture... I'm ready for it. 

She looked very cute and very proud of herself.  I ran for the camera, which was right around the corner at my desk, but, when I returned, she was nearly at the top!  She is fast!  Now I gotta get going and show her how to back herself down the steps. 

And I gotta start using the gates. 

I know, I know. 

Even Hugo has hollered at me.