Travel log 463

I’ve learned a thing or two about traveling with two young children this weekend.

Really, I just learned one thing --- if you have to drive five hours with two small children on one day, you shouldn’t make them drive five hours the very next day.

Steve, Carolyn, Penelope and I drove to Michigan this weekend to attend the shower of Eric and Julie. They are expected their first child, a boy, in July.

It was super fun. Our friends fed us, entertained us and even arranged for childcare. They thought of everything.

But it was just a quick trip. Steve’s mom was waiting for us back in Normal. His folks are in town from Tulsa until next weekend.

And everything was running smoothly. A well-oiled Gardner-family machine. But shortly before Chicago, a stone jammed our gears and the whole operation came crumbling apart.

Carolyn was naughty. Penny was screaming. Steve and I were mumbling under our breath.

It’s those awful car seats. Yes I know. They save lives. They protect our precious little bundles of joy. But I wouldn’t want to be strapped down for five hours, two days in a row. They can’t move. They’re hot and uncomfortable. Poor Penny faces the backseat so she can’t even look at us.

Solution. Grit your teeth and take it. I also managed to squeeze in the middle seat, sideways, for the last two hours so I could talk to the girls.

At least that way, only one girl was crying at a time.

After all this traveling, I hope to stay homebound for at least the next month. Our small family needs time to regroup.