Finding The Right Play Yard

Corralling a Jellybean

That kid of mine sure is getting big. And by big I mean huge. It amazes me every day just how quickly he has grown in these last 8 months. How he went from sleeping all day and not being able to lift his head to moving about with such determination it blows my mind. They say there are four natures to children: 

1) Fun Loving Child
2) Sensitive Child
3) Determined Child
4) More Serious Child

My kid? Hands down the determined child. It didn't take long for me and Matt to identify that. This kid knows what he wants and he's going to work to get it! When my determined child transitioned from the commando low-crawl way to get around and figured out how to get on his knees and actually move with a quick purpose, I knew it was time to consider either baby proofing or baby prison. When this kid sees something he wants, he's pretty determined about getting to it to start investigating. It was time to find ways to keep my little man safe. I opted for the baby prison and looked on Amazon for reviews on Rugrats style corrals. I finally decided on a metal one that wouldn't be an eye sore in my living area. My OCD just wouldn't let me buy a plastic one- it had to look like a piece of furniture despite the colorful toys I'd be stuffing inside. We cleared a corner of the living room, laid down some foam mats, dumped a bunch of toys in there, put removable decals on the wall, and plopped Jellybean in. I've heard of babies screaming their heads off when they are confined like that, but not my kiddo. He quickly went from one toy to the other and to my surprise (and slight anguish because I'm not ready for him to grow so quickly) he used the bars to pull up to the standing position. On Thanksgiving weekend, my little man learned to stand supported. Since then, he's been pulling up on everything! It's incredible how little they fear getting hurt. To me, as an adult fully aware of pain and danger, he seems absolutely crazy. His dive in, no questions ask, just do it attitude is so refreshing. He'll crawl over anything, pull himself up on anything, and even let go, lose his balance, face plant...and do it all over again. This kid knows no bounds. He cries when he falls but a minute later he's back at it again. It seems like we put the baby prison up just in time. 

A lot of times, when we get home from work, we just hang out in there with Jellybean.  Lay on the foam and let him crawl over us as he goes from one toy to the other. Our time with him is so short during the day that just being corralled with him while he plays is all we need to wash the stresses of work away. Incredible how children have that power. 

I put this safari themed alphabet removable decal on the walls. I didn't want to hang any pictures for fear they would fall and glass would break into his play area but I didn't want to keep the wall bare either. Matt suggested using a fathead, but those things are so expensive! I found these decals for $10 on Amazon. 

It's never too early to learn your ABCs. 

Pre-decal play yard. This kid is a standing pro. 

Showing off his skills. He'll often just stand with one hand on the bar. 

This picture is blurry but I love that face. 

I like that this play yard is metal and has sleek lines. Not bulky at all.