LESSON: Don’t make assumptions about what your child will be able to figure out and at what point.
My daughter (like most babies) likes to open drawers, then take out and inspect it’s contents. One of her favorite drawers is the one where I keep all my makeup, hairbrushes, etc... It is especially exciting for her since she only gets to “play” in the bathroom when someone else is in the room getting ready. It becomes like a baby Disney World as a result of it’s forbidden nature. Today she discovered the lipsticks. She held them, banged them on the floor and, of course, stuck them in her mouth. “It will be fine,” I thought, “she doesn’t know how to take the top off yet... ” Until she did. “Still okay,” I reasoned, “surely she won’t figure out how to turn the bottom and raise the lipstick to a usable level.” Famous last thoughts. Certainly the thoughts of a rookie mom. Because sure enough, the next moment found the lipstick exposed. Now in the hands of a toddler, this is usually a humorous moment as they try to apply lipstick to their face in the manner they have seen adults do it...but, in the hands of a one year old? Yep, you guessed it. Ate it like it was a Popsicle. I was too slow. Probably slowed down by my surety that she could not accomplish this task yet. Of course I could not retrieve the chunk of wax out of her mouth, since messing with her mouth invites her indignation. So for now, I shall be on the lookout for the poopy diaper dressed up with Revlon Apricot Fantasy.
