Baby-Proofing

In the wide world of new experiences that Steve and I are having, we've discovered that we must have a screwdriver on hand at all times. This is because everything battery-operated for the baby has a screwed-down lid so, I suppose, the two-month old can't pry off the cover and . . . well, that's what we couldn't figure out. As Steve said, "It's not like you can really get electrocuted from a double A battery." We wondered aloud about the variety of things that seem overly baby-proofed and Steve added: "I mean it's only a 9-volt that can give you even a bit of a jolt if you hold it to your tongue."

He paused and began to reminisce: "We had a contest once to see who could hold a 9-volt to their tongue for the longest. I won. I did it for about a minute. The next day I couldn't move my tongue at all."

Remembering stories of how, as a child, he and his older brother used to play catch with firecracker-laden model airplanes in a very real version of "hot potato" I asked, "You did this with Brad?"

"Oh, no," he said. "This was just a couple years ago."

Note to Self: In addition to teaching kid to not talk to strangers, to look both ways before crossing the street, and that he may never ever become a journalist in Iraq, teach him not to suck on batteries.