You know that expression, “look before you leap”? Well, in my home, I need to look before I
step, sit and, if I’m smart, before I walk out of the house. Let’s start with step. Hazards in my household fall into two
categories: liquids and solids. It is
quite unpleasant to be merrily walking along, when, “Oh” a sudden chilly spot
appears underfoot, as the material of you sock begins to absorb the mysterious
liquid. Now, if I am in the kitchen,
there’s little to worry; chances are it is a drinkable liquid. I tip my head to
the side in order to locate said spot, (if it hasn’t already been completely
wiped away by my sock), grab a paper towel and move on. Occasionally the spot will have a chance to
dry, thus leaving a sticky spot. These can
be identified when walking along, and your foot momentarily gets stuck. These spots require a bit of spray cleaner - a
bit more work. I then have to decide; do
I continue to wear the sock or change into another pair.
But
when this occurs in the bathroom, the reaction and clean up take on a tiny
HazMat reaction. The first time this
happened, I froze. At first my brain
went into liquid spot mode but then I quickly looked down. My foot was closer to the base of the toilet
than the base of the vanity, therefore making it less chance the liquid was
water. After I cleaned up, there was no
question what to do with that sock!
My
boys are pretty good about cleaning
up their toys. Even though, there always
manages to be one or two leftovers. Of
course they are strategically positioned where my grownup foot will land. They are usually around a corner or at the
edge of the couch. Perfect places since
I am rarely looking down when I walk. It
is also the hard toys with sharp edges or wheels that are in harm’s way. It’s
amazing how the tiny wing of airplane can send such shooting pain through my
foot.
The couches
in our home are multipurpose furniture.
The boys used them to watch TV, have snack and play. I approach the couch cushions with caution. I do a quick scan with my eyes, brush off
crumbs, and push aside toys before sitting down. This method has proven to be 99%
effective. There is the occasional moment when I sit and “Oh,” just like the kitchen
floor, I feel a certain sensation on my behind or back of the leg. The “spill-proof” and “leak-proof” cups have
found a way to seep out onto the couch.
Luckily, I invested in a mini carpet cleaner for doggie messes years
back, and now it is my go-to appliance when the couch needs some TLC.
The last place I find random spots
is my clothing. I really thought this
would end once the baby spit up phase ended.
Who knew there were additional joys such as snot, toothpaste, blueberry
juice and peanut butter to add a little flair to my work outfit? Who needs jewelry? If I am a fortunate to spy these spots before
I head out the door, (in the midst of all the craziness that is the boys and I getting
out of the house), I consider it a small victory for the day! But, chances are, I will discover these spots
when I first head to the staff bathroom.
The blaze of the florescent lights and long mirror hide nothing! I am then torn. Do I just leave it? Maybe I’ll try to scrape
it off a bit to make it less noticeable?
I know that any attempt to wash it off will leave a large wet spot which
is surely to be noticed. (If it is snot,
it’s a no-brainer!)
I quickly learned that having kids
is an adventure. I just never knew the
variety of adventures I’d encounter! So
for now, I will take each spot with a smile, a quick clean and move on. What other options do I have? J
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