Some people might say I’m a germ freak, but that’s not true. Sometimes while shopping I forget to bring hand sanitizer. Also, I love McDonalds, and have even eaten at ones with a 92 or below in Sanitation Score. And I’m not afraid of a cookie on the floor. I follow an amended “10 second rule,” which, in addition to time on the germ surface, also factors in level of hunger and how many of them are still left. If you compare me to other unnamed relatives (ask me if you’re one of them) I am practically a slob. So see, not a freak.
But when it comes to Sam…well this is different. Call me a crazy new mom, call me OCD, call me psycho, but it’s just different with Sam. I feel it is my God-given responsibility to raise a child who, next to loving the Lord and doing his homework, is clean. Am I right? I think I am.
Apparently God thinks I need to explore the radius outside my comfort zone. Maybe He is preparing me for school buses or sandboxes, or even those bacteria-infested vats of colored ballsI’m sure Sam will jump in one day. Apparently I need to be stretched. Because I have recently learned that soon – this very next month in fact – we are taking Sam to…drum roll please…A HOTEL. Yes. That’s what I said. It may even be a MO-tel. I don’t know yet. Yes, I have seen the 20/20 specials, and yes I have read the MSN articles. But we have no choice. Family reunion leaves no other option. I have determined it worth the cost.
But in foresight I have prepared a short list of things I plan to do in the hotel room, after we getthere and I quarantine Sam from the room. I share this list for two reasons.
1. Some of you will think it’s funny.
2. The rest of you can a) give me other tips or b) use these when you travel.
My plan.
– Bring a spray bottle with half-alcohol, half water to spray on the carpet and everything about, oh, 26 inches high or so.
– Immediately remove the mattress, sheets, and pillows and replace them with the ones I brought.
– Remove anything unnecessary from the room, i.e. dim lamps, knick-knacks, phone, etc, as these are useless carriers of germs.
– Take Lysol wipes along and wipe down everything else.
– Keep a pacifier in Sam’s mouth during key intervals of exploration when he might be tempted to instead gnaw on curtains, legs of furniture, or the trash can.
So there’s my plan. Any other ideas? (Serious suggestions only please. 😉
Smartter Each Day 
Mom always made us wear socks or shoes while we were in a hotel. Never aloud barefoot! (:
I too, am having some qualms about our stay at a germy hotel in a couple weeks. I've decided to immediately strip the bed and replace with all our linens as well. That way she can play on top of the bed and crawl in a clean 6 x 10 space with adult supervision of course. ( this is not going to make her happy by the way ) Also I'm bringing our own pillows. At least mine, Nick can do what he wants. Lysol wipes is a good idea. Basically I'm not letting her crawl or touch the floor period. For Sam I'd keep shoes on all the time. I'm bringing my microwave sanitizer for bottles. Basically my plan is to stay in that hotel as little time as possible. Like literally leave in morning and come back the second she needs to go to sleep.
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