For the last couple weeks, you have been working toward this: grabbing the poles of your bouncer; trying to shimmy up our legs from the floor; climbing on your toy piano. Just last night I removed the TV tray from the living room because you were grasping at its legs, sliding it around, and getting dangerously close to dumping its pile of half-read books onto your too-soft head.

So when I opened your bedroom door this morning, I should not have been surprised to find you kneeling on your mattress, peering over the bars of your crib, the better part of the way toward liberation. Mom and Grandma Bonnie have been talking for some time about raising the crib sides. Looks like it’s go time!