It is always fun for Aidan during bath time but I have found something that makes it easier and more fun for Mommy. How do you make bath time safer and more contained? Why use your laundry basket of course.

I was reading my “blogging baby” and there was another mother talking about he son outgrowing his baby bath tub and what she now uses. (She also has no space for extra stuff.) I was reading this just before I put Aidan in the bath tub and I thought “what a great idea.” It was indeed.

Aidan can reach all his toys, he is not slipping, he has a place to put his hands and a place to brace his feet. What more could a boy ask for. Oh yeah, it also is usable for other tasks and it rinses and dries quickly. What a great idea.

Aidan was having so much fun that both cats came to check him out but Andromeda was the most interested. I guess that she likes the “captive” audience.

What do you think of these pictures? Could one of these be the one for the “beautiful baby” search?

Today Aidan has proved that nothing and nowhere is safe in the house. He has figured out how to consistently pull himself up anywhere. He started by pulling himself up on the chairs that we have blocking him from the fireplace and the dining room. I thought no problem this makes sense. Then Aidan pulled himself up at the small coffee table that has Tammy’s present on it. He seems to think that anything that is wrapped must be for him, so he decided to start unwrapping it for himself. Luckily I am still faster than he is.

So, you are thinking what next? Well, he then pulled himself up to the larger coffee table and wrecked havoc on a piece of paper. Then I need to change the boy so he got some time in his crib while I got some things ready. He now can pull himself up in his crib again. We now need to check the height on the mattress again (there is one more lower setting.) I thought that he would still be unable to pull himself up in the playpen because he ends up with his face mashed in the mesh. No, wrong again as you can see. This is a later photograph, I think that the space suit was the really helper in the pull up marathon. I think that it gave him confidence. Anyway, here is some photographic evidence for all of you back home.

This has been causing a headache today:

For those who don’t know, this is the rear (alley) of our building. Specifically, this is our garbage bin. Those two windows on top? Those are our bedroom windows, one in Aidan’s room, one in ours.

See how well protected the garbage is? That platform on top was added some time last week. The idea is to keep the person(s) who has been scaling the gate from using the garbage area as a bathroom.

I ask you: now what will he do?

Well, given that he is comfortable scaling the gate, it seems that the Strata has now provided easy access to our bedroom windows, and the small terrace that sits outside them.

When I saw this, to speak mildly, I was pissed.

So, I sent a letter off (by email … who actually writes anything these days?) to our owner, Gerald. Gerald got back to me this morning, and set in motion a typical set of exchanges between owners, Strata councils, and property managers. Although attempts were made to keep things civil, and use facts and simple logic, it seems that threats of litigation were eventually used (by Gerald). In the end, we’re not getting what we want (the removal of the platform), but the Strata is paying for the purchase and installation of security bars in the two bedrooms.

Who wants bars in the windows? Not us, but I’ll feel better with them if they’re keeping that absurd platform in place. I’ve also let it be known that if there are signs of trespassing on the terrace outside of our windows, I will be raising a big stink (choice of words completely intentional) and pushing for the removal of the thoughtlessly placed platform.

On the other hand, did the flash do a good job illuminating the back of the building without any local ambient light? :>)

I think that this has got to be a contender.