This is what a typical stack of library books looks like:
This is what a typical stack of library books in my house looks like:
If you can’t tell, some of the pages are air drying while others get their thorough wipe down. I really wish I took a picture of the wipes when I was finished – it’s like Oprah’s germ episode (that everyone talked about for years). I can’t figure out why her team didn’t wipe down a library book. Many pages are actually stuck together with unknown substances and the wipes go from white to greyish black upon completion.
Now, most things I touch typically get a wipe down and that definitely includes items my baby shoves into his mouth.
It’s a way for me to embrace extremely public items without cringing as they make their way into my son’s nursery or onto the couch.
Tomorrow we’re heading out on a seven hour road trip so I stopped at the library for a fresh stack of books to surprise him with in the car (he’s a total book worm at 14 months of age). But, man, I can honestly say the longest part of my preparation is the library book wipe-down; It’s not the packing, organizing, snack making or laundry. I wipe each book, page by page removing all the sticky stuff and grime.
As my finger tips start to wrinkle up in that weird, dehydrated, cleaning-product sort of way, my mind drifts to the unbeknownst parents who use the items after I do. They’re getting one heck of a clean surface. From park slides and public high chairs to plane windows and books, if my son’s going to lick it, I’ll wipe it.
I know, I know. I’m ridiculous. I’ve tried to curb the habit but there’s something peculiarly gratifying in knowing that most of things around here are relatively spotless. Although if you think about it…if every parent did this we’d never have to worry (and I’d seem less bizarre).
lol
xo
Safe travels