• cookie – One of his first words.  Initially he’d pronounce it “cook key”.
• key – He knows locked doors need a key to open.
• up – Repeats it when he wants to be picked up.
• down – For when he wants to be put down, or get down from a chair.
• uh oh – Used when something goes wrong, or a cartoon goes to commercial.
• num num – Not a real word, but refers to all food.
• baba – Again not a real word, but refers to all drinks. (Dad’s coffee is even a “baba”)
• eat – We eat our num nums.
• cold – Cold can refer to temperature, but it’s also his word for snow.
• coat – We need it when it’s cold.
• door – Pronounced more like “dough”, but he tries.
• close – What we do to the door.
• cat – This word is usually screamed at the poor animal as he attempts to flee.  All four-legged animals are “cats”.
• choo choo – His word for trains.
• rock – Pronounced more like “rah”.  He likes finding rocks outside.
• duck – Loves ducks.
• car – Pronounced with a Boston accent: “cah”.
• yeah – Standard affirmative answer, used all the time.
• no – He doesn’t have the “n” sound quite right, so this one sounds funny.
• night-night – Word for sleeping, sometimes pronounced “nigh-nigh” or “nigh-nine”.
• kid – Any other child is a “kid”.
• boo boo – Any time he gets hurt.
• cocoa – This one is quite a bit off!  He began referring to crayons as “cocoas”; now pens, pencils and markers are all “cocoas”.
• hum – Another mixed up one.  His word for a phone.
• toy – Although he pronounces it more like “toe”.
• ball-ball – His word for a ball, his favorite type of toy.  Can also mean eyes (eye balls) and crunch berries. (Yes, crunch berries.)
• teeth – Pronounced more like “tee”.
• boom-boom – His word for a balloon.
• bwoo – The color blue.
• hat – He thinks it’s funny to pick up anything and make it a hat by putting it on his head.
• hop – He learned hop from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
• egg – Usually refers to painted Easter eggs.
• done – Usually said when he’s done eating, while pushing away his plate.
• arm – Learned from a Mr. Potato Head.
• moo – The sound a cow makes, of course.

He’s also starting to put words together in meaningful ways, such as “door close” as he closes a door, or “cat eat” while pointing to the cat’s food.  It’s so rewarding, as a parent, to observe all this language development!

I’m completely new to baby-themed blogging.  I don’t know what sorts of blog networks or link opportunities are out there, though I’m sure there are many.  Looking forward to learning more.

This gate by Safety 1st was at the low end of the price scale when I was gate-shopping at Babies R Us, which meant it fit my budget perfectly.  The design is totally retro–I remember this style from when I was a kid.  There are no new additions here: this bamboo gate is a very basic, simple design.  And sometimes simplicity is exactly what you’re after.

The frame is, of course, made of a natural-colored bamboo–a sturdy material as well as a renewable resource.  Green eco-points are awarded for this purchase.  Bamboo is also quite light, making this gate easily portable.  The black mesh is plastic with relatively little give.  Its small holes don’t allow for tiny hands and feet to fit through.

On the right is a close-up of the latching mechanism.  The two pieces of the frame slide from 27 to 42 inches.  You adjust the width by sliding the metal lock into the appropriate notch to create tension when the latch is closed.  Push the latch into place and it sticks.  Release the latch by pulling upward.  A classic and simple design, but it works.  The main annoyance is that the metal lock will frequently lose the correct notch position when you unlatch the gate.  At 24 inches in height, it is not too difficult to step over.  So you may not need to unlatch it frequently once you’ve gotten it set up.

Once set in place, this gate is moderately sturdy.  Strong direct force can push it loose, but generally it stays put.  It may be a problem for older toddlers intent on defeating the gate, but otherwise it should prove satisfactory.

Who is this gate right for?  The price-conscious parent or small dog-owner in need of an effective doorway barrier, as well as those concerned about their ecological footprint in search of a gate that incorporates renewable material.

The Safety 1st Natural Bamboo Gate is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

The swinging door function of this gate was important to me because this is a high-traffic doorway, and stepping over the old gate was becoming difficult for my pregnant wife.  Now, coming and going requires sliding the latch, pulling upward, and swinging the gate open.  It is a simple motion, although the upward force required is a bit more than I’d prefer.

We chose to use pressure mounting to avoid drilling and screwing into the doorway.  The gate is constructed so that latch-side post angles outward; it take significant pressure to force it into a straight vertical position.  This puts it under tension, which locks the gate frame in place.  I found that the pressure mounting is sufficient to secure the unit in the doorway.

Installation of the Munchkin Protect Gate was not difficult.  Our doorway is actually about a half inch narrower than the minimum 29.5 inches stated on the gate’s box, which I was concerned about.  However, I was able to just get it to fit in place.  Turning the nuts with the supplied wrench is what forces the gate frame into position and creates the tension which secures the unit in place.  Pictured below is a close-up of the gate handle and latch, with one of the nuts visible.

The gate is a pleasing white color, with attractive vertical bars.  The visible nut and screw detract slightly from the appearance, but aren’t overly noticeable.  The functioning of the gate is as advertised, complete with auto close feature.  Swing the gate door open, and it will close by itself.  There is a bit of a “slamming” force to the auto close, which is a somewhat undesireable.  One major design oversight is the lack of ability to keep the swinging door in an open position.  This model would be greatly improved if it were possible to swing the gate door open to a certain point at which it would hold in place, until you decided to close it.  Instead, you must prop it open with a chair or other nearby object.

The construction of the Munchkin Protect is solid, metal.  It is the most solid and secure of the three different gate types I own.  It is effective at keeping toddlers and smaller dogs from passing.  The spacing between the vertical bars does allow for little arms, feet and paws to reach through.  At 29.5 inches in height, the Munchin Protect is taller than many other gates.  I am able to step over it if I choose to, but my wife cannot.  The gate includes expansions to fit doorways as wide as 38 inches.

Overall, I would recommend this gate as an effective solution for parents of small children as well as dog owners.  It is not the cheapest gating option, but the swinging, locking door and solid construction make it a winner.  We have not regretted this purchase.

You can buy this gate on Amazon.com.