Is she a toddler or what???

This photo is a picture of what Chandler has termed, “Tessa’s evil grin.” And we get it when she knows she’s up to no good! Tess gives us her share of your basic toddler behaviors: climbing, knocking everything over, dumping out drawers, emptying cupboards, temper tantrums etc.

However, there are a few Tessa Toddler Moments I’m hoping to avoid more of:

A few weeks ago the paper I was shredding stopped mid-shred because the shredder was full. Figuring that it would be fine until one of the boys could empty it, I just left it there. Soon Tess was over there grabbing at the paper and for some reason, the shredder started up again. Tom heard it start and by the time he got to her, she was screaming, I was screaming and her finger was stuck deep in the churning shredder (she must have not let go of the paper as it was pulled in because that slot is really small). Tom yanked it out and I was fully expecting to see mangled fingers, but thankfully she just got a *nasty* pinch. Now we keep the shredder unplugged just in case.

The other day we were working downstairs on some scrapping projects and she knocked over the garbage can. I figured it was fine because all I had put in there since it was emptied last was an empty package of candy and paper scraps. But soon I heard a chinking sound and thankfully I checked it out immediately because she was playing with a broken light bulb! ACK!

Then yesterday she pushed a chair over to the sink and climbed up. I got there before her and surveyed the area making sure there wasn’t anything that I didn’t want her touching or that could harm her. Things were fine so I went back to the other side of the bar and continued working. Next thing I knew I heard a click click click. . .she had reached over to the gas stove and lit it. I screamed and dashed to her. She jumped back at my scream and recoiled until I got there but she was crying. I figured it must have been because I scared her because I couldn’t see that she had been burned. But as I hugged her I could smell something funny. I checked out everything I could think of but didn’t find anything wrong. Moments later, however, I discovered that her right eyelashes had been singed. Talk about scary. Needless to say, we now are getting range locks.

We’re thankful for those guardian angels who protect the toddlers. . . hope Tessa’s are paid well because with her, it’s a constant job!