Bedtime for Alex

Alex seems to love her repurposed bedtime crate. 

While the lights are still on, she can see me in my bed and Smooch in her bed,

and all is right in her little world, until I do something stupid, like leave the living room lights on

and have to get up to turn them off and sometimes that doesn't go over too well.

This all happened a few nights ago – her separation anxiety diminishes
with each passing day, thank goodness.

Would you mind scrolling back up to the picture of the crate?
See that contraption on the knobs so that she can't push the doors open?
It's meant to keep kids out of cabinets, but it's so hard to use
that it's only a matter of time before she pees in there,
waiting with her legs crossed while I struggle to open the effin' latch.
There's got to be a better way to secure them, but I haven't found one yet
(hair ties and large rubber bands don't do the trick).
Any ideas?