Friday, October 3, 2008

Excuse Me While I Grumble

Psst...it's me. I have to whisper while I'm here today, because I have a bajillion other things that I'm supposed to be doing right now, and instead...I'm blogging. Don't tell, mmmkay? See, we're heading up to visit Hubby's family a few hours away today and neither of the girls nor I am packed yet. We're leaving in 4 hours. Heh. Hubby's at work until noon, so I have a little time to sit...but I really shouldn't. (You'll understand why by the time you get done reading this.) Anyway...can you keep a secret? I suppose I can tell you...I'm not really looking forward to this trip...umm...at all. Usually I'm pretty stoked, or at least neutral about heading up to see them, as I got really lucky in the in-laws department, but the pure complication of this trip, and oh the friggin effort involved in packing for it is enough to make me never want to leave our home again. Wanna know the short list of equipment that's required for us to take for Little, alone? Not really? Well I feel the need to list it anyways...

*Bumbo chair and tray-So she has somewhere to sit other than on the floor. Will there ever be a moment when someone doesn't want to hold her while we're there? I'm not sure, but I feel the need to bring it just in case they all have something to do at the same exact moment at some point. It could happen...

*Strap on booster seat-No, silly...not that kind of strap on. The kind that's a mini high chair that buckles to a chair, so she has somewhere to eat and can join us at the table when we eat.

*Double stroller - Or "The Pig" as hubby likes to call it because of its sheer weight and annoyance factor...but we both admit that we'd die without it. Anyway, if we dare take both kids somewhere at some point, it is a necessity.

*Collapsible Bassinet - This will be Little's bed while we're there. Nuff' said.

*Baby Bjorn - In case we get somewhere and just don't have the energy to deal with the Pig...or we go somewhere that Big can walk...it's just much easier to pop her in there and go...but oh my achin' back! Perfect for short trips...long trips leave me in traction.

*Play Mat and Assorted Toys - Self explanatory, no?

*Baby Bath Seat - Blow outs happen people...even hours from home. One must be prepared at all times that their little one may need a bath at the drop of a hat...or the drop of a spoonful of sweet potatoes...which is more common in our household.

*Breast Pump and Accessories - Technically this is for her, right? I mean, it's not like I do it for fun. Seriously, people.

Not to mention bassinet sheets, jammies, clothes, dipes, wipes, 5o jillion different snacks and foods (because we're at a really intense point in her speech therapy and she needs a bunch of different tastes each day), 7 bottles, insulated bottle bag, bibs, can o' formula (which totally needs to be redesigned for aerodynamic/packing ease purposes. I'm thinking about writing my Congressman.), and a partridge in a pear tree. And did I mention that we actually have two children to pack for? Hubby is actually contemplating busting out his roof top storage unit...just in case there isn't any room for the 4 of us to sit once we've loaded all of the above into the car. Ridiculous, I tell you. Call me rude, or mean, or ungrateful if you will...but I think that there are just some points in your life (a la now) that it's just easier and more convenient for the grandparents to come to you for a visit...sans the required 8 million pound load of kid stuff that we need to haul to go to them. *sigh* But I'm sure that when all is said and done, it will be Sunday and we'll have had a great time and I'll be forced to eat my words...but for now, excuse me if I grumble just a teensy bit while I get back to packing.

2 comments:

Stephan & Mary said...

I can SO relate to this. We have to travel at least once every 3 months and actually spent most of our summer living out of suitcases (often in a tent). I have a 3.5 yo and a 15 mo. It was an adventure for sure. I just got an inflatable booster chair from The First Years. It's not as sturdy as our Fisher Price, but wins hands down on portability. My only other tip is to dream of the day they don't need as much stuff and hey - the day they can even carry/roll their OWN bags.

Unknown said...

Enjoy all this time packing up the car with the baby accessories while you can. My little one opens the door, gets in her seat, and buckles herself in, now. Sometimes I go to the back door to let her in, and she looks up at me as if to say, "what are you doing?" I miss the stroller, diaper bag, and buckling. Boo to growing up.

(*sorry if you got like 7 of these - blogger was giving me the business*)

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