Things we have done to baby proof our home...

Here is a list of things we have done to baby proof our home and another list of safety gear that I refuse to buy even if the books, magazines and experts tell me that I have to...

1. Gates at the top and the bottom of the stairs. Jack holds onto the bottom one (see photo) and shakes it so hard that I am afraid that he will pull the entire gate out of the wall. Maybe I should buy him a small, tin sippy cup to bang on the bars?
2. Cushioned corners for the coffee table, TV stand and CD holder. Jack likes to bite on them. Rob has me worried that Jack will now bite off and choke on the very things that are supposed to be keeping him "safe."
   
3. Safety covers for every outlet in the house. Jack never cared about the outlets until I "decorated" them. Now they are a baby magnet! For me, they are just a pain in the ass. I spend a lot of time taking them out to vacuum or to dry my hair. Safety? Yes. Convenience? No.
4. Drawer and cabinet locks. For every drawer and cabinet. I now spend approximately 1 hour per week unlocking the safety locks to get anything out in the kitchen or the bathroom. Big time waster.

Safety items I won't be purchasing (even if it puts me on the "bad mommy" list):

1. Toilet seat lock. The door is always shut to keep Sophie from eating cat litter. Problem solved. $30 savings.
   
2. Spout cover for the bathtub. Jack never bathes alone. $10 savings.
3. Baby spoons that change colors to show you that the food is too hot. I have a better idea: Taste the food yourself! $5 savings.
4. Door knob covers. If these are anything like the outlet covers, Jack will become obsessed with doorknobs instead of ignoring them like he does now. He can't even reach the doorknobs yet! $20 savings (we have a lot of doors.)
5. Washer/dryer locks. If I am such a lousy parent that I somehow don't notice that Jack has been missing long enough to have locked himself in the washing machine then I should probably re-evaluate my parenting skills. $20 savings.

I am sure that there is a huge list of safety gear that I am forgetting to mention or that I have completely blocked out of my mind. Hopefully we have done our best to make our home a safe place for Jack to play, to eat, to bathe and to sleep and that will just have to be good enough. And, if not, I just saved $85 that I can use to buy some more outlet covers.