My husband took the picture. I wouldn’t have. Had I witnessed the scene unfolding, I would have promptly scooped up my two-year-old, scolded him, and sent him dragging all those step stools back from whence they came. But for better or worse, I arrived too late.
He is a persistent little guy, and as self-sufficient as can be. He needed a shirt. So he collected step stools from two bathrooms and started stacking. Thank God he is sure-footed and has a good sense of balance. In the end, he did get the shirt he was after, nothing crashed to the ground, and we have a great visual reminder of his ingenuity.
Although I’m not an over-protective mom, I still don’t think I’m ready for the challenge of raising this vivacious toddler and his tumbly baby brother. My careful, cautious girl never did stuff like this, and probably never will. But I’m learning that risk is inherent in raising boys. To tell the truth, when I saw what my son had accomplished, I was actually kind of proud of him. Good thing I wasn’t there to ruin it at the start.