Thursday, August 27, 2009

Let's End This Discussion, Shall We?

So, even I’m getting tired of hearing about this road trip. Bottom line: it was great, family was awesome, can’t wait to do it again.

This trip was a learning experience for everyone, even those of us with previous roadie experience. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Always pack chewable Pepto Bismol. There’s no telling what someone (ahem, Men) might ingest in the name of vacation.
  • When in doubt, overpack. Use every available cubic inch, but reserve a little bit of space for 1) the extra stuff that gets bought in a fit of the splurging insanity that hits everybody when they’re away from home, and 2) the fact that dirty laundry always takes up more volume than freshly packed clean clothes. Dirt has girth.
  • Children will always stretch their limits. Sammy decided his freedom to go out in the backyard meant he could then run off across the street. This resulted in a 5 minute manhunt that ended so quickly because of his light up shoes.
  • There is no such thing as sleeping in when you’re the parent on a family vacation. Especially when you’re all sleeping in the same room.
  • The flip side is that you’ll probably be going to bed early because once the baby is asleep, the only way that will continue is if everybody else is asleep, too.
  • Take advantage of the opportunity to try new foods. Sammy actually requested a hamburger Happy Meal instead of his usual chicken nuggets, and ate it. (OK, admittedly, not a big stretch, but a shocking turn of events from a kid who can recite his McDonalds order while asleep.)
  • Vacation weather is almost always better than home weather. If you are considering a move, don’t forget that if the summers are pleasant, the winters are frigid. If the winters are balmy, the summers are blistering. And if we’re talking Hawaii, have you seen the price of a gallon of milk?
  • Children will surprise you with what interests them. Who cares about the bag full of toys and prizes I carefully assembled to occupy my son’s time? All he needed was a garage door. He’s strange, y’all.
  • When children surprise you, go with it. A video of said garage door opening and closing blows his little mind on a daily basis now.
  • Places that delighted you as a child may terrify you as a parent. Case in point: stairs and my willful spider monkey daughter.
  • Children will surprise you with their abilities. By the end of the trip, Sabrina could pick out people she’d just met in photographs.
  • Children will surprise you, period. Sabrina was oh-so-sweetly nuzzling into my neck when she turned her head and chomped down on my shoulder. I have a scar now.
  • If you’re caravanning, take walkie talkies. This will help you stay together through traffic clogged cities, as well as freak out your kids when they hear disembodied voices float through the car. Win win.
  • Know where the nearest Walmart is.
  • You will unpack and find at least 3 things you either don’t remember why they were purchased, or you don’t remember buying at all.

Surely, I was schooled even more, and this is but a short list of things that brought me to my knees. But as I’ve said, I’ll do it all over again as soon as I can. I was genuinely surprised at my family’s resilience and fortitude on this endeavor, and my greater family’s generosity and openness in hosting us. I’m hoping those requests to come back soon weren’t just empty words because we’ll be taking you guys up. And by then, Sammy will be tall enough to open that garage door all by himself.

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