Reading Sandi's SiLLiNeSS post today reminded me of one of my first "adventures in parenting" moments.
The day after my oldest daughter turned 2, she initiated me into the terrible twos. While I was cooking a rice dish for supper, she snuck into my bedroom and poured out an entire bottle of Obsession cologne all over her and my bed.
I don't remember if I went to check on her, or if she started crying so I went to see why. I do remember being very upset. My first instinct was to strip my bed before it soaked into the mattress too deeply, but A started crying because the cologne had gotten into her diaper and was stinging her bottom.
I rushed into the bathroom and plopped her into the tub. Then I ran into my bedroom to strip off the sheets and blankets. I then ran into the kitchen to start washing the reaking bedding. As I passed the stove, I stirred the rice and turned the temperature down before I headed back to the bathroom to turn off the bathwater.
During this time, my 6 mo was crawling around behind me crying because she wanted to nurse. Just as she would catch up to where I was, I'd turn around and head the other direction. Then she'd have to turn around and follow after me again. Poor baby!
I turned off the bathwater and headed back into the kitchen where I discovered my rice burning. I took it off the burner and ran back into the bedroom with baking soda. I sprinkled baking soda on the wet portion of the mattress and let it sit. I then picked up the hysterical 6 mo R and went into the bathroom with the 2yo A. I then proceeded to sit on the toilet seat and nurse R while A soaked. After R was done nursing, I was able to finish bathing A and get her out of the tub.
After dressing A again, I returned to my bedroom and scrubbed at the mattress stain with a wet washrag. I was hoping the baking soda would somehow absorb the excessively STRONG odor of the cologne. Alas, it did not.
I turned my mattress around so the stain would be at the bottom of the bed instead of right beside my head. Then I turned on the ceiling fan in order to help dry the wet spot and air out the room. I looked at my foam contour pillow which could not be washed and carried it to the trash can. I knew I could not sleep on such a stinky pillow without getting a headache.
It took several washes before I even attempted to dry the bedding. And even then, the smell remained for several more weeks of use and washings. We just put the stronger smelling area at the bottom of the bed and lived with it.
All on her first full day of being 2.
