The Amazing Adventures of Mason

We are noticing that Mason is very observant and attempts to do whatever we do, or whatever he wants to do. Daryl and I were out last night and left Asia, who is 14, in charge of him. She told us this interesting story:
She had gone to the bathroom and when she got back, Mason had pulled up a stool to the kitchen gate and climbed over. He then pushed another stool up to the stove to get at the cupboard above to get the candle lighter. He then went and sat down at the kitchen counter with a cupcake. He put a candle into it and lit it. All this in a matter of a couple of minutes! Those brain synapses are working well!! Time to figure out a decent locking system in the kitchen that doesn't look funny!

Doors, doors, doors. All the doors on our main floor have keyed locks. Plus our deadbolts are keyed on both sides. He learned how to pick a bathroom lock when he was 2 1/2, so that's why the extra precautions. So we have a few tacks high up on the walls, way out of the reach of a 9 year old boy, to hook the keys on. Mason has figured out that if he throws something at it the key will fall off and BINGO, he can go into any room he wants and get into trouble. So it's back to the drawing board to find a new way to have the keys easily accessible, but not to the boy.

Another thing we'll have to be on the look out for is Mason climbing over the gate at the base of the stairs. I'm thinking barbed wire. Anyone have a better idea??