Not just two holes in the wall

You see two holes in the wall, but I see so much more. I see a young infant starting to crawl and heading for the stairs and a panic stricken father driving to Baby Depot to buy a gate. Over time, the gate became less important as the baby learned to ascend carefully. No sooner had that happened then a new baby arrived and the challenge starts over. Fast forward three years and the gate is still there. No real reason for it, the kids are fine with the stairs.

Finally, the gate is removed. I have been dreading removing it for multiple reasons. One of the biggest is the tacit acknowledgement that it is no longer needed. The little TMGs are growing up and those unstable toddler days are behind us. I love to see them mature, but cannot help but feel sentimental and melancholy about the past years. They have brought so much joy along the way and the baby years are behind us now. I look forward to the future.

A year ago: Falling water