Climber Monkey

Xander climbs on everything. Even before he could walk, he was climbing. He climbed out of his bouncer, then he moved on to the stairs, and he hasn't stopped now that he is getting older.

Once he learned to walk, he put ladders on his to-do list. At first, he was too small to actually use the slide when he climbed to the top of the ladder, but that didn't mean he wasn't enjoying the process of climbing the ladder. Now that he is old enough to slide down on his own, a slide can be a standing source of entertainment for blocks of time. Even when there isn't a ladder, the process of getting up to and down a slide is an enjoyable one. At one particular playground, Xan is able to walk up a slanted ramp, then shimmy across a shaky bridge and then once he's across, careen down the slide, and start all over again.

Furniture is another popular target. On Xander's first trip to the Museum of Science in Boston, he ascended a two-foot stool on more than one occasion, delighting in the interactive computer screens that awaited once standing on the stool. Household furniture is no different. While he has his own little couch and chair from which he can watch TV, he will frequently forgo them in order to climb onto the couch. Upstairs, the rocking chair in his bedroom is no longer the sole domain of mom and dad. Xander can now climb into it and rock himself, laughing uproariously each time the chair tips backwards.

When Xander climbs into the fridge, or scurries close to the edge of the couch he has just conquered, his climbing isn't so cute, but most of the time he's ok. Xander has a good grip, and he knows what he wants. He hasn't tried to climb out of his crib yet, but it's only a matter of time. He has half-heartedly tried to hook his leg over the side, and when he realizes that he can stack his pillows and blankets in the corner...watch out. But whether it's his crib, a ladder or the couch, one thing is for sure -- Xander isn't about to stop being a climber monkey anytime soon.