Six Hours

Almost each year, the weekend before Thanksgiving, my mom and step-dad get a 3-bedroom condo and invite anyone from our extended family to come down. It’s a nice time to relax, get a bit of Christmas shopping done, and eat. Two years ago I was four months pregnant with our daughter, and our son was about eight months old. Last year they didn’t go – not that I would have attempted the trip with two little ones under 2. But this year, my husband wasn’t able to go, so I just thought…I’ll just take the kids by myself.

I knew once I got there, it would be fine. My family would be there to help. And it worked out that I was able to travel down with my family, so that made the trip easily manageable. But on the way back I would be all on my own, since I had to return a day earlier than them because of a work commitment.

So Monday morning we got up, ate breakfast and did a bit of shopping. We went back to the condo and I packed up while the kids played. I picked up some lunch, got them ready and we left at 1:00 p.m. I made it exactly halfway before stopping for a bathroom break, which was easy enough (except my son was easily distracted walking through the gas station by candy bars, ding dongs, potato chips, souvenir mugs, stuffed animals, gum and orange juice). At about 5:15 we stopped and had dinner because the kids said they were hungry. The proceeded to eat approximately five bites each, but at least got to stretch their legs. We drove the rest of the way in and arrived home at 7:20 p.m.

Before having children, we traveled alot….nowhere exotic, and rarely for more than a long weekend. But we had gotten used to just picking up and heading out any time we wanted. However, having an infant can be a bit restrictive. Not only does it take 32 minutes to get out the door, and then only with 15 pounds of diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, toys, milk, snacks, and only half of your sanity. Then having an infant annd a very young toddler can be downright panic-inducing. It’s not that you can’t get out and do things…it’s just that it doesn’t seem worth it. There’s this whole process of weighing things out in your head – is it worth the time and extraordinary mental and physical effort it takes to get out of the house with two children, a 50-pound double stroller roughly half the size of my car out and going. Since I’m usually worn out by the time I actually get to the destination, I sometimes answer no – not worth it. Just a few months ago, the thought of a simple trip to the post office was enough to make my back ache. But I feel like I’m turning a corner. While traveling alone with two children under the age of three is not something I’d want to have to tackle on a regular basis, we managed fine (thanks to the car DVD players my mom got us last Christmas – don’t judge – I only use them on long trips, and we put them away otherwise). And trips to the post office are starting to feel like a piece of cake again.

Not to mention the fact that I just survived the trip – with my sanity in tact and not totally worn out – makes me think I might just make it. And makes me wonder where I might head next.