You ever mentally compose a post over the course of a couple of days, taking pictures to go with it, only to have something happen that just blows all that away? Did I knit this weekend? Yup. Did I do something to further prove that I'm a geek? You betcha. I have pictures of both. Yay me. Except you'll have to wait until tomorrow to learn more about those things.
What happened you ask? The twins. Kathryn and Alexander. They happened. Last week you'll remember that my mother reported that Alex had escaped from his crib during nap at her house. This was after the pair of them escaped from the Pack 'n Plays last weekend at my sister's house. Well they lulled me into a false sense of security. After staying in the cribs Friday morning, I decided to leave the sides as is and not convert them quite yet to toddlers beds. They only served to enforce this decision on Saturday when they stayed in and played for at least a half hour before I plucked them out for breakfast. Later they took a 3+ hour nap and didn't escape at all. Nor did they escape Sunday morning or after the brief after lunch nap they took. Lulled I say.
Sunday afternoon they were a bit cranky, beating, biting and scratching each other so I decided a nap was in order. I escorted the pair off to their room where I deposited them in the cribs. I kept an ear on them with the baby monitor as I proceeded to do some straightening and get a start on dinner by chopping the veggies that I was going to use for the stir fry. Through it all I didn't hear sleeping, but I didn't hear any telltale noise that indicated that anything was amiss. Finally, after 45 minutes (and finished with the veggies and chicken), I heard something that sent my mommy senses tingling. The boom box which I put on with a classical cd as I put them down started up. Neither kid can reach this thing from their cribs so I knew at least one was out. With great trepidation as to what I'd find when I got there and how many had escaped, I went to their room. I was aghast. Look for yourself...(click for larger photos)
Oy vey. They both escaped. They found a long forgotten box of corn starch (used for a particularly bad diaper rash Kat had) and went to town.nbsp; Kat was dancing in it declaring the place a "mesh". She looks particularly pleased with herself doesn't she? The floor and just about everything else in the room, kids included, had a good coating of corn starch that seemingly took forever to get up. Heck, I had to vacuum my vacuum. 
If Kat wasn't dancing, she laid down and told me "night-night" After vacuuming forever, the three of us were pretty well covered in the stuff and went off to the shower. At least I didn't have to give them an after dinner bath for a change. Their floor still has a nice silky feel to it. I'll have to swiffer it later and I suspect I'll be dealing with the aftereffects for a long time to come. That's the kind of afternoon I could pass on. There is a bright side, at least it wasn't the large and expensive tub of Triple Paste that they made a mess with.
Now comes the hard decision of what to do with the beasts. Obviously the cribs are no containment structures anymore. I do have one little problem though. While Kat's crib is a true convertible to toddler bed complete with a little half rail to keep her from falling out, the same is not true of Alex's. I can take the side off, but I don't have a rail for him. I don't think he's ready to sleep without the rails yet as he presses against the sides still. I'm tempted to leave the side on and leave them in the open position. They won't roll out, but yet if they do want to escape and fall, they'll fall from a much lower position. Or do I just bite the bullet and go get two twins beds and the guardrails to keep them from falling out. Help!!!
Craft on ;-)
Oh My! Ok, I'm trying hard not to laugh...really I am..but remember, I've had my own and they are almost all grown now and that sense of vindictiveness sets in that grandparents get is so hard to overcome and well...it's so funny when it's not your own and ...BBBWWAAAHHHAAAHHHAAA!!!! ok, I feel better now. Hey, with my oldest it was poop and wool paneling so life could be worse. ;-D hehehehehehheheeheeeeee
Posted by: Elaine | September 19, 2005 at 11:58 AM
I'm really, really not as mean as this sounds, but omg is that picture of Kat standing up covered in starch absolutely hysterical.
My condolences on the breakout and subsequent 'mesh' - I'm sure someone with more twin-knowledge than me will have some good ideas.
Posted by: Cassie | September 19, 2005 at 12:03 PM
Ohboyohboyohboy! Is it wrong of me to find those pictures so funny?? So much extra work for you, and yet . . . oh my! Kat really does look quite pleased with herself! And Alex is looking very, "It wasn't me!" innocent, sitting in that chair. Oh! Oh! Oh!!
Posted by: --Deb | September 19, 2005 at 12:09 PM
Wow. That certainly is a "mesh." (But the pics are adorable!) My oldest got into a tube of A&D when she was about that age, and I never did get the grease stains out of her bedding!
As for the beds, I think you're okay using the cribs with the rails down. Or you could put their crib mattresses on the floor and let them try sleeping on them that way (they make great trampolines!)until you are ready to buy twin beds.
Posted by: Katy | September 19, 2005 at 12:49 PM
Oh, Risa! Great pics -- you must keep the pics to embarrass the twins with later on in life! Mattresses on the floor sound perfect, Katy! Wish my parents'd let me sleep on the floor (they kept picking me up and putting me on the bed ). Just guess the twins' room'll have to be toddler proofed first....
Posted by: Nancy J | September 19, 2005 at 01:02 PM
Oh, I do so love being able to laugh about this stuff instead of having to clean it up!! Forgive me! I do sympathize but mostly I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy cause they ain't mine!
Posted by: Chris | September 19, 2005 at 01:25 PM
Risa, you can buy the bed rail separately for Alex's bed. Google for toddler bed rail. Great future blackmail photos.
Posted by: Ariana | September 19, 2005 at 02:01 PM
Oh My!!!
At least it wasn't a bottle of baby oil that they squirted everywhere. That happened at a friend of mine's house - try cleaning baby oil out of the entire shelf of books, and the floor, windows, curtains...
I'd lower the sides of the cribs. They can climb out of that height safely. You can also probably lower the mattress in the crib - they'll have to get up over the lowered side rail, but they should be able to do it pretty dextrously. At least, if they're anything like Hannah was at that age...she was a real climber, and climbed up and down many scary things...
Posted by: Sara | September 19, 2005 at 02:24 PM
Wow! My little one never escaped. I don't know why he just never did.
I've seen mesh (not mess) tents that go over cribs that are supposed to stop the wee ones from climbing out.
Good Luck,
Kathleen
Posted by: Kathleen | September 19, 2005 at 03:44 PM
Oh. My. Goodness. I know how you must feel, but that is TOO FUNNY! (Mostly because it's not my house...) Emma has seemingly forgotten that she can escape from the crib- she hasn't done it since that first couple times. I'd suggest the mattresses on the floor as well- that way they can't fall. Or get a rail for Alex's crib if you want them semi-contained and off the floor so you can store things under their beds. Sorry for the "mesh!"
Posted by: Sue | September 19, 2005 at 03:51 PM
Hahahahaaaa......I'm sorry, but that is just priceless!!! I remember one of my kids getting into a jar of vaseline....now that was nasty!
I imagine if you just lower the sides of the cribs, they will be able to get out without getting hurt. I bet that they do make guard rails for toddler beds too.
Now I know why having children is for when you are younger....hehe.
Posted by: Kim | September 19, 2005 at 07:16 PM
Oh boy. I refuse to laugh because if I do I know my kid will be next. How long did it take to get all of that cleaned up?
Posted by: Kris | September 19, 2005 at 09:03 PM
As a mother of nine I couldn't help it, I laughed. We put the mattresses on the floor for a while and always check on "silence". They really do grow too fast so enjoy them, they're beautiful
Posted by: Ellen E | September 19, 2005 at 09:08 PM
OMG, it's all already been said but thank you so much for the chuckle. Yesterday, I was quite weepy as I deposited my oldest at college but reading your post has put me back in my place. I'm sorry to laugh at your predicament but dang, those kids are simply adorable. I do hope you frame those shots!!
Posted by: bonnie | September 19, 2005 at 09:15 PM
Great shots! Thank you for sharing. I'm glad it wasn't mine.
Posted by: Laurie | September 20, 2005 at 09:53 AM
Risa, what a scrapbooking moment you have there. The 2 of them sure had fun.
Posted by: elsie | September 20, 2005 at 10:02 AM
I just giggled, out loud, for the first time in awhile. Kathryn certainly had it right - mesh is correct! Kudos to you for backing out and getting the pictures - they are perfect (look at that grin!) and will be treasured later on. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Kristen | September 20, 2005 at 06:53 PM
Oh lordy loo. No noises from the baby monitor? That's called Random Acts of Silence. I'm sorry your security phase is over. Mine were climbing out of their cribs before they could walk, lol, so I never got the security part, but yeah, not so fun. I had them in twin beds at 15 months with no problems (the occasional roll-out of bed but sometimes they didn't even wake up!). No problems except the problem of twin toddlers alone in a room together. Yeah, no problem... :) Hang in there, though. This too shall pass. Threats now actually work, grin.
Posted by: mamacate | September 21, 2005 at 03:57 PM