The Imperfect Community

[Petulant Pixie]

I just ordered a play yard

I don't love it (It hasn't arrived yet). But, I don't know what else to do. We live in a '70's split-level--you walk in the front door, there's a foyer and up to the right to the livingroom and down to the left to the "sub-level" (not really a basement, half-basement, you know). The top of the stairway has a wall on one side and a banister thing on the other, so a gate would not be real steady. I wouldn't trust a gate to hold there if Liz applied any pressure to it at all (stood up and held onto the gate)--even a gate that's secured to the banister thing (a pressure gate totally wouldn't work at all).

We've tried securing off the livingroom, but that's really not working either. We'd have to get two gates for the livingroom/kitchen-dining room area, one of them would have to be an extended-length thing for the dining room area, and we're looking at a lot more than $75 then (which is what the Lizzy Lifestock Pen costs).

Mike is thinking with this thing, we can make it into a semi-circle to just kind of fence off the end of the livingroom, so she'll have free reign in the livingroom, but can't get out. Then when we need to, we can make it into the hexagon and plop her in it.

The way things are right now, I have to pick her up and take her with me every time I use the bathroom, and I spend most of my days just pulling her away from things. I need a way for her to be safe!

With A&K we lived in two-bedroom apartments when they were little. We just moved things up high and let them roam. It's a lot different this time around. Any other suggestions?

[julymom]

My cousin had that for her little one and loved it. If I could have gotten it shipped to Europe, we'd have had one too. What are you not liking about it?

[Rebecca_R]

We had one of those and liked it because you can break it apart and use it in muliple places if you needed to, or you can use the whole thing and fence off an entire area.

That age where babies are so interested in everything and can be mobile is kind of scary. Even if one thinks their WHOLE house is babyproof, a baby can find something to get into that will throw you off guard. So it's better to be safe than sorry, and get something like this that will give you piece of mind.

I'm thinking you don't like it, because of the idea of putting your baby in something that is like a "cage" correct? Well, I think these things can be abused, some people are the types to just leave their babies in something like this all day long and just throw some toys in. none of my kids would ever have that! So we used it to keep them in a specific room, or keep them out of an area so that they would stay where we could watch them. We never used it as a playpen type thing, and we ended up getting a lot of use out of it. After awhile it becomes a PITA because it's so big and gets in the way, but for the time you need it, which is relatively short in their lives, you tolerate it.

[DietCokeHead]

We use gates for everyday use, the kinds that ae attached at one side with screws or something then swing open and shut. We have one at the top of the steps, one at the bottom, then one on each end of the doggie area in our house (it's a butler's pantry). We love those gates! They're wooden and look pretty nice, for gates.

Then I also have a pack and play set up for when I need to cook, go to the bathroom, run to the mailbox, etc.

[Petulant Pixie]

Yeah, I wish we could use gates, but it just isn't possible for our house layout--unless we get the kind for non-traditional openings in the One Step Ahead cataloge, which would run tons of money.

I don't like the idea of having a big fucking hexagon that looks like there should be a 50 cents-a-handful billygoat food machine attached to it in my livingroom. It does collapse so we can put it against a wall when we're not using it.

Becky, when Alex was born someone gave us a traditional playpen, with the mesh sides, and we just used it to dump his toys in, lol. The need for something like this just hasn't come up! But, it is a scary age, she is so into everything (I guess we just have more than when Katie was this age), and she doesn't understand "no" at all. In 6-9 months, I think it'll be easier.

But, I am very excited. We got the loft bed for Katie's room. We're not putting it together quite yet (we have to rearrange stuff in there and perhaps remove the celing fan/light fixture). I'd show it to you, but I can't find the exact model. It's white and it fits a twin. The plan for now is to put Liz's crib under it, kind of sideways. Then, when Liz outgrows the crib, this bed has the option of adding another bedframe at the bottom and making it bunk beds! We're busy next weekend, so we won't get to rearrange the room for a couple of weeks. Liz is still in her little co-sleeper thing, and well, she's getting a little big for it to say the least.

[Jessica]

I was gonna get one of those for our dog.

I used to put Graham in an exersaucer for times I needed to be a away for a few minutes, but I can see how that "lifestock gate" could come in handy. Better to keep her safe then set yourself up for tragedy or disaster. Are you feeling guilty about it? You shouldn't!

[Petulant Pixie]

No, not at all guilty, LMAO! I'm all for having a safe place to plop her. I mean, do the AP folks really expect you to hold your child while you're urinating??? It's hard to keep her in one place now when I pee really fast--she gets into the bathroom, or charges off down the hall. It's not safe the way it is.

It's the eyesore factor that I dislike so.

[Rebecca_R]

You know, you mentioned the hardcore Ap folks and what do they expect you to do? If people are absolutely opposed to babygates, or any kind of baby gear, they *are* having hard lives too. They just are the ones that refuse to make it easier with something like this. Really, I know of some, and even they complain about certain things, but they just refuse to buy anything like this. So that's there right. But then there are people like me, who like to cook in the kitchen, keep my baby in the living room with all his toys where I can see him, and keep him safe. We are all happy, there is a hot meal after 30 mins, baby is in eyeview, and no one has gotten burned or toddled off into another room where mom can't see you. Its all about what you are willing to do, and what your are willing or not willing to give up. I do not cater to babies, babies fit into my household where mom has things to do, and they need to sit for awhile and play with toys in the living room.

*sorry if this post makes no sense. I'm on my third tecate*

[Petulant Pixie]

No, it makes sense, Becky and I totally agree with you. I'm totally thrilled too that we have "On Demand" with our cable system so that Barney, Sesame Street and Teletubbies are on any time I need them.

Oh, and I found the bunk bed, it was on the Australian website, if anyone wants to look

For the next couple of years, we'll have the bottom bunk off, and put the crib under there. Then when she's like 3 or so, we'll add the bottom bunk with railings. Cool, huh?

And, Alex got something, too. When Mike went back to pick up Katie/Liz's bed, this, which we had earmarked for summer, was on the "buy now" sale, because the box had a little damage. It has the [url=http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15558&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=11534&langId=-1&parentCats=15558*15617*15619]loft[/url] and the [url=http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15558&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=50797&langId=-1&parentCats=15558*15617*15619]desk and shelf[/url] and it was like half price!

[MainstreamMom]

I have that exact same one! We bought it when we lived in our condo and had no way to put up gates. I haven't used it since Jack was about 1.

Intestering thing about gates.....my house was literally like Fort Knox when Jack was a toddler. It was INSANE! I mean I had gates everywhere. I just HAD to. It was a matter of his safety and my sanity.

Now with Amanda I have absolutely NO gates at all. I'm going to put one on here door once she gets into a bed (I think unless she proves not to need it).

I think it's all about the baby's personality.

[Petulant Pixie]

I put up the baby pen Thursday afternoon. We were able to do it in a semi-circle, so it's secured between an end table and the banister thing (like a wooden fence-type thing that runs the side of our livingroom, and below is the stairs--you know, you see them in older split-level houses), and then around behind the rocking chair and over to the other wall, held against the wall by the exersaucer. Soooo, it blocks off the enterance out of the livingroom and the enterance to the kitchen and the enterance to the diningroom all in one big thing. It's great. I wish I would have gotten one months ago!

Tomorrow we put Katie's bed together!

[Rebecca_R]

[quote="Petulant Pixie"]

Oh, and I found the bunk bed, it was on the Australian website, if anyone wants to look

For the next couple of years, we'll have the bottom bunk off, and put the crib under there. Then when she's like 3 or so, we'll add the bottom bunk with railings. Cool, huh?[quote]

So you mean you'll have the top bunk set up so Katie sleeps up there, and the baby crib underneath the bed? That's a cool idea (if I'm understanding it correctly). A big space saver.

We have bunk beds for the boys but right now they are not set up like that and they are side-by-side. My boys are acrobats and would surely do a Christopher Reeve off the top bunk when I wasn't looking.

[Petulant Pixie]

[new053105]

I had a traditional playyard. I would have preferred what you are getting though and will for my next tyke. But the traditional was nice for traveling, and Lauren was high needs and wanted to be held CONSTANTLY!@!!! Well, I couldn't hold her when I needed to shower, and I was not going to be a mom who never showered or waited until someone came home to help. She didn't nap well, so sometimes she had to go in the pen or her swing, or whatever might amuse her so I could shower.

Honestly though, I barely used my playyard, because she hated it, and they are so small. When I used to babysit in the late 80's, play pens were so much bigger and babies seemed to like them, at least the ones I watched, so the one you are getting seems much better. A tiny sqaure does feel like a cage...LOL! I mean, I think it would be a great thing for if you want to go outside and garden or whatever....there's more room for her to explore.