Safely out of reach.

Having a small child in the house, I have done my part to child-proof by putting the items that are dangerous and/or not intended for the child high up or out of reach. This would include the M&M's. My kid loves them. Can sniff them out like she is a bloodhound on a trail. As she has grown older, I have had to elevate my out of reach hiding places. They have ranged from table and counter tops to on top of the microwave to kitchen cabinets and the top of the fridge. As she got older, she learned to climb. Even the refrigerator wasn't safe because she would use a kitchen chair to reach the counter to climb on to, then to get to the top of the fridge by standing on the toaster. (I was awed and amazed as I watched her ingenuity in figuring this out one day.)

My last refuge was the top of the bookshelf in the entertainment center. It is high, and practically unreachable by anyone not over 5 feet tall. That was where I chose to stash the half bag of M&M's that she was given as a treat last week for good behavior, and subsequently got taken them taken away for screwing it all by back sassing me. I know she didn't see me put them up there, because she was throwing a tantrum too hard to pay attention. Well, today she got the munchies. Sniffed out the fact that there was chocolate somewhere in the house, and devised a way to access the candy. She hauled her Little Tykes chair over to the bookshelf, stood on tippy toes, and managed to grab the M&M's.

Two things made this possible. Her inherent sneakiness, and her recent growth spurt. She then had the gumption to put the chair back to hide the evidence, but slipped when she brought me the empty package to tell me it was all empty and she wanted more. I was stunned. I asked her where she got them and she showed me. I asked her how and she pulled the chair back out, stood on it, and demonstrated. Clever little ticker-tot, that one. I just hope she doesn't figure out that the princess slide in the living room is even taller and has the added benefit of a ladder. I'm off to find a new hiding place...