Beyond the barricade

In case anyone was wondering how we solved our stair gate dilemma, we decided to get rid of the gate and see how it goes. After the initial thrill of having free run of the house, involving much ascending and descending of stairs, the Podlings have settled down and love being able to go upstairs whenever they want to. So far, nobody has fallen and broken their neck and I love how much bigger the hall looks without the massive gate blocking half of it. The only downside is that we are now going to have to get a lock for our bedroom door. I tried keeping the door closed to dissuade them from going in, but when I went to take my contact lenses out last night, I found that Tom had shoved both the lids of my contact lens case down the plughole of our en suite sink. On the grounds that nothing is sacred to the under-fives, a simple lock on the door is probably the easiest option for now.

She's becoming quite a poser in front of the camera!