What to do When You Can't Contain a 21 Month Old

We are back online with a shiny new computer. Not exactly a purchase I wanted to make right now, but necessary.

Last week was not so bad considering Kevin was out of town for five days and the computer crashed after two of those days. We kept busy. Not to say it was stress free, exactly, but what day is? None lately that's for sure.

All went great and then I got sick (after Kevin got home thank heaven) and felt like crap all weekend.

I did feel slightly better on Sunday for my 12th anniversary and after Kevin helped our friend fix his car (it worked! It runs! He's so multi talented!) we got to go out to eat. Then, we went to Best Buy purchase the new computer! Fortunately for our finances, we had both pretty much had no free minutes to sneak out and purchase gifts, so Happy Anniversary, here's a computer to replace the one that DIED.

Anyway, on to what I wanted to write about. The title, "What to do When You Can't Contain a 21 Month Old." Desperate plea for help, or advice on how to deal with YOUR climber? Take a wild guess. Here's a hint, I don't do advice columns, I don't know what I'm doing over half the time.

Ben has escalated the climbing and now not only gets out of his bed (which should probably be converted to a toddler bed, but as yet has not) but he can also climb right over the baby gate and out into the house. Monday morning Kevin heard noises in the house at 4 in the morning and went to investigate. I assumed it was Mark and when I heard him come back in I felt a kid climb into bed with me. Without opening my eyes I said "What are you doing up, dude?" And then when there was no answer I rolled over and cracked my eyes open and saw it was my teeny tiny baby. The one who sleeps in a CRIB and has a baby GATE on his door. Anyway, an hour later I had Ben back to bed and collapsed in mine. Then everyone including Ben was up a mere hour after that.

On to nap time. Surely he'd be tired enough to just crash. Right? Ha!! Yea, no. Short version, I worked with him over an hour, used Super Nanny techniques, used stuff that I made up, and banged my head against the wall and finally, when I went to change over the laundry and Ben climbed INTO the dryer... twice.... I took desperate action. I buckled both little boys into their car seats and went for a drive. Any guesses as to who was asleep before we got out of our neighborhood? Anyone? Oh well, I got the bonus that Zack fell asleep too. Both transferred into beds. Thank goodness. But, it shouldn't take 1.5 hours and a drive to achieve nap time. Should it?

Bedtime was a similar fiasco and I was visibly frustrated. At some point Kevin sent me to run my errand and took care of it for me. Thank goodness.

Any tips to control the climbing? I've got to get this issue resolved or it might kill me. That is if potty training Zack doesn't get me first.