Bye bye, birdie

The boy had a wee accident on Sunday. He wasn't happy in his bouncy chair and arched his back in protest. He arched his back in so much protest that he flung himself to the floor, where he face-planted dramatically in protest. And because we are responsible parents, he had been strapped securely in that bouncy chair. It flipped with him, pinning him to the floor.

There it is again: 4.5 straight years of parenting babies, and that's something that never happened before. This boy, he is, as they say, strong like bull. And determined to chart his very own course.

Even if that course drives him right into the floor coverings.

So we gave away a bouncy seat this week. We also gave away the baby bathtub. He arches himself out of that, too. And the bathroom's marble countertop that I used to set it on isn't more forgiving than carpeting.

We've reached a turning point, and not just in the sumo-in-training ninja flip skills of my littlest one. (Though, you know I have a thing for sumo, right?)

Since late 2005 we've been acquiring baby things. As each child in turn aged out of them, another kid fell into place. We simultaneously acquired bigger kid things, but we never got rid of any baby equipment, though, because there was always another kid getting in line to use them. For the first time, we're now getting rid of baby things.

I've also made arrangements to give away our infant carrier carseat next week. (Let's not even discuss that the girls fit into it until about nine months, and we're moving G out before six months.) I could go to the trouble of selling these items that still have some good life left in them, but we're putting them in the hands of women who can use them and it feels so freeing. We're unburdening from the big baby plastics that have served us well, but are no longer necessary tools for our family.

He's almost six months old.

Time flies. Bye bye, birdie.