Free to Roam

Henley started taking steps independently just a few days before she turned 11 months old, and a week or so later she was officially a toddler.  It's fun to watch her roam about the house throughout the day.  I often think that adults would look quite crazy if we seemingly aimlessly walked from room to room all day long.  As Henley roams throughout the house, she often stops to take inventory of the items in the lower cabinets in the kitchen and then carries some of those items with her to other locations.  Jay and I considered child safety locks for the lower cabinets, but we ultimately decided to move any dangerous items to other locations and continue to give Henley the opportunity to play with the remaining items.  Thus, a couple of times a day I find myself returning food items such as jello boxes or popcorn boxes to their designated places in the kitchen.  Henley's also becoming a bit more independent, and she often roams to another room when I have my back turned for just a moment.  As a result, I find myself saying Henley's name throughout the day and then going to search for her at her favorite spots.