Frontier Dreams: Irrational

Monday, January 25, 2016

Irrational

On Saturday I went out to clean the inside of our van in the pouring rain (because I had the energy to do it right at that moment and I knew if I had waited the motivation would be gone) only to discover mice poo in our children's car seats. *shudder* I knew mice had been coming in our van before and we believe in "live and let live" or "do no harm unless others intend you harm" so we just hoped that they would eventually go away. They have in the past. The cats find the ones that actually venture into our home and I try my best to capture the mice once they have them cornered and set them free elsewhere but it doesn't always happen. I have just come to accept that in the winter where we are currently living, mice are something we deal with. But once I got to the back of the van and saw Little L's car seat padding ripped up and his seat belt partially chewed through, I lost it. We don't exactly have extra money hanging around to buy a brand new Britax car seat and the thought of mice living in my children's car seats - especially the baby's car seat just did me in. Hey, I am hormonal right now! I came in the house explaining everything to Kevin and he didn't really have a reaction, which for whatever reason irked me. I said, "Why can't you see this like an irrational pregnant woman?" Hehe. At least I know I am irrational, right? Our current resolution is parking our van outside instead of in the garage and I poured way too much peppermint essential oil all over the inside of the van hoping to hinder the mice from coming back. So far, so good.

I spent two hours Sunday evening sewing the girls' badges on their AHG uniforms. Phew that took longer than I expected! But it made the sewing bug come back and now I want to sew some itty bitty clothing for the baby. I wonder if I'll have time. I am still not completely prepared, as one of my midwives keeps reminding me, even though I took the time to label baskets on the changing table - that counts for something, right? Even so, I am slightly hoping his arrival is sooner rather than later. As much as I don't want this pregnancy to come to an end, I just want to hold him in my arms. Plus he has been putting pressure on a nerve in my back which sends shooting pain down one of my legs. A humble reminder of how painful growing pains are in children and that I always need to take my little ones seriously when they crawl in our bed in the middle of the night wanting their legs rubbed.

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cariemay 52p · 480 weeks ago

Oh no that's not irrational at all - I'd have felt the same and I'm not pregnant! We just had to get rid of a little pile of things that met with a mouse that moved into our garage over winter and I have a car seat to clean and try to put a little fluff back where it belongs! Thankfully ours wasn't interested in the straps! Good to know that peppermint discourages them, we have no pets so I might have to do some liberal dousing!

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Agnieszka · 480 weeks ago

A mouse can't stand the smell of lavender ))

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Annie · 480 weeks ago

Ugh, not just a pooping mouse but a destructive *chewing* mouse--that's not irrational at all, Nicole. I'd have gone off the deep end!

Bright side--even if the peppermint oil for some reason doesn't discourage Mr. Teeth from returning (but I can't see that it won't), it'll surely take care of that musty smell a mouse leaves behind. Good thinking.

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HKL · 480 weeks ago

Even if the car seat straps are only a little chewed through, you are going to have to replace the seat. Once the straps are compromised you can't be sure that they won't fail in an accident. Sorry that you have to deal with such an added expense right now.

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2 replies · active 480 weeks ago

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Sonia · 480 weeks ago

Sometimes you can call the manufacturing company and just order new straps, I have done that it costs less than 20 dollars and it is super easy to fix!

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Sonia · 480 weeks ago

You can often call the manufacturing company and order new straps. It is an under 20$ fix and super easy to fix.

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lorna · 480 weeks ago

Would you mind posting more pics of your baby station organization? It always helps to have inspiration :)

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chrisknits 37p · 480 weeks ago

Not sure what the midwife expects you to do to be ready, but remember, every household has it's own rhythm and you shouldn't have to jump to someone else's criteria. If life has to be altered to be ready for another baby, would any of us be deemed ready? The baby will fit into your household regardless of what is done before hand to prepare for the arrival. Your health and well being is more important than a list to tick off items. Good luck!

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Sheila · 480 weeks ago

Sorry about the mice :(
If it helps, I'm an active car seat tech and I use some of the cheapest seats on the market. It's much more important to use whatever seat you buy properly than to buy a brand name like Britax if it's not in your budget.

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Stacey · 480 weeks ago

We had such a terrible time dealing with mice when we lived in Montana. As cute as they can be (when they are outside : ) they can be so very destructive and icky once they find a way into your home or car. I feel for you. And I don't think you are irrational, either! That is certainly true about the growing pains - my little ones' mysterious pains used to kind of worry me... then I sort of remembered what it was like to have those childhood pains myself. Those pictures of your cats - !! : )

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Sonia · 480 weeks ago

I keep trying to reply to HKL's comment, but it won't post. You don't have to replace the entire carseat, just call the manufacturing company and order new straps. It is cheap and easy to fix. Also too, do not have mercy on vermin, they carry disease and can chew through electrical wiring and cause house fires and worse. Buy some mouse traps and fight back!

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Lindsay · 480 weeks ago

That exact thing happened to me last winter. The mouse ate a hole in the plastics door casing (a true mouse hole), it ate the car seat straps and padding as well as two van seat belts. We had parked the car for a few months in the fall to save up for winter tires and the cute little mice were incredibly destructive...we found out later that they had also chewed some minor electrical wires (interior lights). I was incredibly shocked at the damage that was done! I was also irrational over the cost to replace the damaged wares! I to love all animals big and but I could have done in that mouse with my bare hands that day! My heart goes out to you!

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T.A. Knight · 480 weeks ago

I have this mouse in the car thing too - common for us parents of sticky toddlers living out on the prairie (we are in CO). I was also just as mad when our Britax came under the same fate a few years ago. But we got rid of the mice humanly. We got super sonic mice repellers at home depot. They were under 20 dollars. Plug one in the garage and we also have one in the basement. They put out a noise they hate that only they can hear - and yes we have dogs too and they are not affected by it at all. But we haven't had one mouse since. And I know they are around the outside of the house because I catch them in my garden and all around my neighbors shed. We also repaired out seat by replacing the straps and cover thru Britax.

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