Home Sweet Home Maybe?

Patrick finally finished the floors. I say finally not as a nagging wife as in "What the heck have you been doing you lazy bum? Why aren't the floors finished?" But in the context that he has been working round the clock for the past week to get them done. Just so we're clear. Ahhem.

After the all clear from him to return home yesterday, we loaded up the car and left Mimi and Grumps's house. I'm not going to lie, it felt so good to be going home!

As soon as I stepped on the first porch step, I knew we wouldn't be staying. I could still smell the polyurethane on the floor. But, when I opened the door, the smell was significantly less. Patrick was going to meet us there as soon as he got off work, so we decided to stay (it was just a little over an hour).  We went to Bowling Green as soon as he got home.

We stopped and picked up Mexican on our way home, so I was carrying the bags when I went back in the house, and I didn't notice the smell immediately.  In fact, we wound up staying from about 7:30 until just after midnight. 

My Momma anxiety kicked in and I scoured the internet from my phone (does anyone else do that? Bad idea. Leave the phone alone when it's time for bed!)

I couldn't find anything directly citing danger from the poly as far as having small children around it, but it suddenly was pressing on my chest like a weight. I had to get my babies out of there. I went to the garage and picked up the can. Here's what the label read:

This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer. 

*Note: this is paraphrased. I don't have the can with me right now.

It went on to list reproductive and respiration problems and neurological and developmental issues. 

And I let my 7 month old crawl around on that floor all night. My 3 year old ran around barefoot all night. My husband put it down, breathing it in for 3 days. All because I didn't want stained carpet in my Christmas pictures. 

I went into a panic. Premature? Possibly. Overreacting? Perhaps. But, I'd rather be the parent who takes every precaution than one who doesn't take enough. I knew better. I, the girl who only buys organic baby food (unless I make it, in which case it's also organic), avoids the dirty dozen food list like it's the plague, only buys food with the whole grain label on it and buys green products in everything that is available. I knew better. 

I KNEW BETTER. 

The can of sealer said that there could be light traffic within 24 hours. Patrick took that to mean us. It says not to move furniture on it for 72 hours, and not to put rugs down for a week. Yet, I was letting my kids play on it.

I felt like the worst mother in the history of the world. Spare me the "when you were little you chewed on lead based paint and turned out fine" stories. Really. Save them. That's not an acceptable excuse. Parents didn't know the dangers, and good parents eliminated the risk as soon as they were made aware of a danger. Period. 

So, at 11:30 last night, I began the mad dash to load everything we needed back into my car. We left for my parents' house about an hour later (these kids have a lot of stuff!), and arrived just before 2:00. 

Now, the entire perfect Christmas picture argument is a moot point; If this stuff doesn't hurry up and off gas (which, by the way, some sites say can take up to 28 DAYS), we won't even be at our house for Christmas.