Nicholas is learning how to undress himself.

This learning process began months ago when I was pregnant and trying to get him to nap twice a day. Nick would pluck off his socks; I would return to get him up and he would be barefoot. I was too pregnant to look for them underneath his crib. (He was still in his crib.) I was afraid if I crawled under the crib to retreive them I would get stuck and Steve would come home to find me half trapped under this large item of furniture with Nick sitting n my back jumping up and down.

In any case, Nicholas has now progressed to removing his pants. As with his socks, he refuses to remove them when it would actually be useful, such as bath time, or when his diaper needs changing. Instead he pulls them off while he is watching television, or while I am doing dishes and he has told me he would be at the library. I mean when I think he is playing quietly with toys.

I'm happy he is learning to do this - hey, taking off your pants is a step closer to potty training, right? But the trouble is, sometimes he doesn't quite finish the job. Especially if he happens to be wearing footie pyjamas. Then he can only pull them down as far as the ankle. And this wouldn't bother me so much if he wouldn't then decide to get up and move around.

I know it's old and used, but if this kid lives to be 2... Well, he will have scars and bruises all over him. His fingers are fine, for those who were wondering. And about this photo? No children were harmed in the making of this photograph.