Nightmare? November 25, 2009
When Thanksgiving is over and everyone is shopping their hearts out on Black Friday, Adam and I will be rolling down the highway as fast as we can. We’ll have Sky with us in the car, and the trip from my mom’s house in Michigan down to our house in Florida takes eighteen hours of driving time, not including stops or traffic or any other major problems. We have no idea when we’ll actually get back to Ocala; we just know that we’re leaving Friday morning.
The past two months surrounding my dad’s cancer and death have been a chaotic blend of traveling and living away from home. Skylar and I have basically been in Michigan since the beginning of October except for a five day stretch a month ago when we flew back to Florida to take care of a few things. Adam has gone back and forth a few times, both flying and driving, and because our car is here, we need to drive to get home this time.
But that doesn’t mean we’re happy about it. Sky is not what anyone would call an easy traveler, and she hates her car seat. She usually does okay for the first fifteen minutes, but that’s about her limit. Every now and then when she’s completely exhausted, she’ll fall asleep in her car seat. (The last time it happened I had to take a photo to remind myself that it is possible to ride peacefully in the car with Skylar.) Unfortunately, her car seat naps are almost always thirty minutes long. Then she’s up and fussing again.
And that leads us to this question: are we insane? I think the answer is yes. But if that’s true, at least we’re in good company. Plenty of new parents will be traveling at the same time we are, packing ridiculous amounts of baby equipment, suitcases, and snacks, and enduring a long, loud journey with little kids. So as we’re (hopefully!) flying along the road on Friday, I’ll be reminding myself that many people are doing the same thing we are – singing crazy songs while wearing ear plugs and feeding ice cream or chocolate or whatever else to our kids to keep them quiet for a few minutes and pass a bit of time. It’ll probably be agony to drive so many miles with Sky, but at least it’s for a worthwhile cause. I wouldn’t trade a single memory of these past two months with my family.
We have all missed you kids, look forward to seeing when you get back and rested. May the grace of God and a hedge of mighty angel’s surroung your trip home. Have a Great and Happy Thanksgiving….Tell everyone there I said hello and Happy Thanksgiving.
Love you Uncle Rusty!
Oh Linnea.. I feel for you!! I wish you the best of luck!!! I wish I had some great advice for you but all I can say, from someone who has been there, is that “this too shall pass”
Linni – – Have you ever tried Calmes Forte? It is a natural homeopathic remedy that can help soothe Sky and calm her nerves (since she doesn’t like car rides) I would HIGHLY recommend it.
And then – there’s tylenol – – but I prefer the more natural remedy! Good luck – -I’ll be praying for you ALL!
Happy Thanksgiving!! And I think you will do great on Friday when you are driving back. I remember my host family telling me about their vacation just before I came to them 2 years ago. They had been travling from WI to FL, with 3 kids (age of kids 3,2 and new born) so I think you can do it too!!!
Take care, Malin
Happy Thanksgiving! And safe driving. It can be so frustrating not being able to do something for your screaming child, but you seem prepared! We have the DVD screens in our car, but I guess she is a bit to young for that yet. Good Luck!
Oh we’ll be praying for you Linni, I hope it all goes well and that Sky has the best road trip she’s ever had!
We miss you guys and are thinking of you celebrating thanksgiving all those miles away. We are with you in spirit!
Lots of love from us all here in England x
We’ll be praying you have a fast and safe trip and that Sky will do shockingly well on the drive home. Can’t wait to see you all!
Stopping and playing at the rest areas helps alot. Giving her sugar only revs up her energy which would be frustrating while confined. Praying for safe travel and that it will go better than anticipated.
Oh, girl, I feel your pain. I can remember many trips with the twins when they were young! I remember one trip in particular that there was a whole lot of screaming. Jo was with me and we were stuck in traffic for hours (felt like an eternity). I remember just wanting to climb out the moon roof and escape!! I didn’t think Jo would ever want to have her own kids after that experience!! I will say that many, MANY trips later, we have excellent travellers. I think that is the trick- practice makes perfect. Just persevere through and it will pay off later. That is the whole theme of parenting, isn’t it?! I will be praying for smooth sailing tomorrow. Love you and miss you.
Julia