Baby Proofing and Bacon Grease

Baby-proofing for the second child should be no problem, right? When baby James started crawling I set up the baby gates, ensured that all the chords were tucked away, and started sweeping about six times a day. I spent a few blissful weeks ignorantly thinking that I had covered all my baby-proofing bases. James soon proved me wrong.                                                                                                                           We have only one “no” cabinet in the kitchen: the one under the sink. That is where I keep extra sponges, vinegar, and trash bags. Oh, and discarded bacon grease. We love our bacon around here and so I always have a can of excess grease tucked under the sink. Once it fills up I chuck it. Evelyn always respects the “no” cabinet. She contentedly plays with the plastic storage containers or muffin tins and pans that I kept in the other cabinets. My son hasn’t quite got that lesson down. Lately, his biggest delight is opening that cabinet under the sink. While I’m in the kitchen, he will play with the plastic things. But as soon as I walk into the other room or even turn my back, he’s opening that cabinet under the sink. Every time he does I give him the stern reminder and move him across to a safer play area.

After one such move, I went into our dining space to wipe down the table after lunch, telling Evie to call for me if brother opened the cabinet. I swiftly wiped up the yogurt smears and cracker crumbs. Suddenly Evie called, warning me that James had opened the cabinet. I sighed, left the rag on the table, and walked back into the kitchen. My jaw dropped. I stood rooted to the spot soaking in the scene before me. Bacon grease. Everywhere.

My son sat in the middle of the floor, one greasy fist in his grinning mouth. The can lay tipped over and globs of the slimy, greasy, goo lay plopped on the floor surrounding him. I let out a little shriek and snatched my son’s fist out of his mouth (and snapped a quick picture to send daddy). Thankfully I had done dishes, so I popped him in the kitchen sink and soaped off his arms, hands, and legs. I eventually managed to degrease the tile floor, but for awhile it still turned deadly slick when water touched it.

That was the episode that convinced me that I needed something to ensure the “no” cabinet stayed safely secured. After taking 20 seconds to install the SnuggBugg Drawer & Cabinet Locks, I no longer have to worry about a homemade kitchen ice rink (much to my son’s disappointment).