May 21, 2010

You Put WHAT on Your Baby Brother’s Face!

An instant.

That’s all it takes.

You mommies out there know EXACTLY what I’m talking about.

That’s all it took this morning . . .

I woke up tired but became stressed when I discovered baby boy had a fever and Toddler girl royally woke up on the wrong side of her bed. It was a work day for me to head to the office—bad news: daddy would not be able to help get the kids ready or drop them off. More bad news—my hair was drenched in coconut oil that the night before I had brilliantly decided to sleep in for an extra special but now very inconvenient hair treatment. So, I showered while baby boy sipped his bottle in his crib and I continuously rubbed the steam off the shower door to keep a close eye on Toddler girl who was attempting to squeeze the entire contents of a lip-gloss tube and use it as a facial moisturizer.

Well, things can’t be that bad. Right? Right? That’s what I thought as I loaded the kids into the car. I strapped baby boy in first. He was screaming for his bottle. Then I lifted Toddler girl into the car and tell her to sit in her car seat and wait. She actually usually always listens. I’d be right back to strap her in. All I had to do was walk 10 feet from the garage to the hallway side table where I had left his bottle. But, a lot can happen in 30 seconds.

The hand sanitizer. That bottle that I had placed in the front seat JUST yesterday so I would remember to pack it in my bag—was not on the seat when I returned! It was suddenly in the back seat! And Toddler girl was climbing back into her seat, revealing she was up to something.

"What did you just do?" I asked Toddler girl, only for her to tell me she thought she would “wash” her baby brother’s face with it! "YOU DID WHAT!" It was smeared on his cheeks—and feet! He just sat there, the innocent victim, amused by the tingly cool sensation and the attention. The problem?

Just a few months ago I was forwarded an email warning that children can ingest hand sanitizer—all it takes is a few drops--and get poisoned from it. Since then I have been so extremely careful to keep it all out of their reach. (It's an interesting article to read and one to take into consideration.) Until now!

That feeling of dread weighed down in the pit of my stomach and intoxicated my mind, my heart, my body with fear. What if Baby boy got some sanitizer in his mouth? What if he’s poisoned? So I frantically investigated him head to toe—thankfully it didn’t appear so. I further interrogated Toddler girl—things were aligning. He appeared safe. But, the fact that Baby boy was already a bit lethargic with his fever only made me feel more anxiety that perhaps, no it couldn’t, but could it be that he got a drip on his mouth! My mind said he was completely fine. But my emotions ... well, if you didn't read the post about my brief hallucination of how Toddler girl's fall at the playground led to her detached arm, you should, and then imagine how much more I am freaking out in this moment.

Thankfully that was not the case. Baby boy was fine. I am EXTREMELY thankful and relieved. This was another learning experience--I have since banished the hand sanitizer from the car. And, I have resolved to NEVER leave Toddler girl in the car unstrapped---until she is 18! I wonder if they make car seats big enough for teenagers? And, by the way, I did have to leave work early and bring baby boy to the doctor—thankfully it was not a return of his ear infection, but just a virus. Though I’m hoping it’s only teething.

So overall, Thursday, gets the award for my most stressful day of the week. And that's a good thing, because it means tomorrow can only get better. Right? Right! Happy Friday Everyone : ) Hoping it’s a peaceful start to a great weekend for you all.

Do you have hand sanitizer in your car or diaper bag? If not where do you keep it? OR what do you use to fend off the germs.

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Posted by Laura

8 comments:

Nicole Everitt said...

I keep it in my purse. That way, it comes with me EVERYWHERE... not just the car.

Nic said...

I have some in my car, purse, and diaper bag. I'm kinda germaphobic. DD is pretty obsessed with the stuff but the one I keep in the car is the pump style bottle and she hasn't figured that out yet.

One Photo said...

Oh my, I am sorry you had such a traumatic day - at the same time as I was reading the first part of your post and your brilliant description of trying to start a day already in turmoil I just had to laugh. Until of course I read about the incident in the car - I would have been worried sick also, I am like that and worried over every little thing when my daughter was a baby.
Glad to hear your son was fine.

I don't use sanitizer as my daughter would no doubt also get her hands on it and create chaos, so instead I use wet wipes and always have a pack in my purse, my car and anywhere else convenient.

Tractor Mom said...

It had to be the moon...my Thursday was just as crazy! Check out my post.

http://frugaltractormom.blogspot.com/2010/05/double-bubble-bath.html

Leslie said...

We don't keep hand sanitizer around, and this had never occurred to me! Currently, if my son is curious about a bottle of lotion, soap or other, he wants to put it on MY face and head. :)
Thanks for stopping by!

Melodramommy said...

Antibacterial Wet Wipes! Why didn't I think of this earlier. Duh! Thanks AgingMommy.

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts!

Sarah Kimmel {Tech4Mommies} said...

So crazy how fastthose kids can move when they know they are up to something!

Glad it all worked out. My sanitizer resides in my purse.

joeandbridge said...

Hi! I'm your newest follower from Blog Hop Friday! Swing by my blog and say Hi! Hope you're having a great weekend!

Bridgette
Groschen Goblins
www.groschengoblins.com