Weekend Recap

We made a quick overnight trip to Houston to visit one of the BFFs. The last time we were there was 1.5 years ago and her little one was only a couple of months old and C was due to see his cousin Caroline! How sweet are they?

We are planning on taking a group roadtrip with some of our friends to Destin this summer and the 10+hr drive is literally making me break out into nervous pit sweats. C does ok on longer car rides, but anything over an hour is risky business. We thought this trip would be a good prelimnary test run. 4 hours is not too bad.

sometimes you have to bust out the big guns - dum dums

[ iPad, & Hot Wheels - check. ]  [coffee - check. ]  [ Alien that C INSISTED must stay on the headrest- check.]

Things we've learned from this mini road trip:

• internet connection is precious - we tethered our phones so C could access videos on his iPad but of course, that connection is spotty and often slow. We had a few meltdowns and I totally sympathized. It's equivalent to toddler dial-up connection during his Barbie: Life in a Dreamhouse video marathon (uhh, he is totally into Barbie videos lately, but that's another post one day). I'm thinking we need to spring for the data plan during the trip.

• bring lots and lots of snacks - and not just pork rinds and gummi worms. Kids eat when they get bored too (except they don't gain 10 lbs like we do), and plying them with sugar while strapped in a car seat probably isn't the best idea. Lots of fruit, cheese, crackers are mandatory to survive. And of course, a handful of dum dums never hurt nobody. Pick and chose your battles people!

• a little comfort goes a long way - i know sometimes it's not always possible, but if you are getting a rental for a road trip, get something w/ some leg room. It makes for more efficiency in packing things in and out of the car, easier for emergency diaper changes on the road, less crampage of limbs. I mean, you're on vacation! Make it comfortable!

• sunshades are a must - I love, love, love Aden & Anais muslin swaddle blankets. I got these before C was born (before Prince George was rocking it) and use these babies for everything. Swaddling, nursing cover, car seat cover, blanket, you name it. It's one of C's loveys now, so he has to have it with him at bed time. But you can see in that picture how easy it is to just put one up to block out the sun. 

• Be prepared to sing your heart out - because sometimes your kid just wants to hear Mommy and Daddy sing Old MacDonald 10x in a row

• New toys/distractions - When we took C on his first flight, one of the best tips I received was to wrap up lots of new toys for him to open every hour. Hit up the dollar store for this. Half the fun for the kids is just tearing up the paper. We didn't do it on this trip, but will definitely be doing this for Destin. However, on the way back, one of our friends gave him a new set of Hot Wheel cars so it definitely made the last hour of the trip a smooth ride. Thank you Uncle James! :)

• Load up on cleaning supplies - With all the snacking and toy unwrapping, you'll need to stock the car with plenty of wipes and a large trashbag to keep everything clean and organized. Keeping the clutter and grubby hands to a minimum will help you keep your sanity!

What are some tips you have for a successful aka tear-free road trip?