Hitting the road
Well, tomorrow we leave for the big adventure: my sister, me and a nine-week-old baby, driving 400 miles to the ancestral family home, if by "ancestral" you mean "the house my parents bought when I was in college." I'm hopeful that Ess will cooperate; she typically loves her carseat, although being happy in it for ~7 hours (best-case scenario) is a lot to ask of any little one. So we're packing lots of food for us (and, since my boobs are coming along, lots for her, too) and planning to just take it as it comes.
Astonishingly, I've already got laundry done and lists made -- one for the grocery store, if Ess ever wakes up from her nap, and one of stuff I need to remember to bring. I think the actual packing will have to wait until D comes home, or until I can get Ess comfortable in her sling later this afternoon. (We went out for a nice walk early this morning -- and by early I mean 9 am -- and she totally conked out in the sling. Woke up to nurse briefly at our friends' house, then conked out again long enough for me to both stop at the variety store for some vitamin water (my new vice, since ice cream is out) and at the bakery for a decaf iced coffee (soymilk added at home).)
We're hoping to leave by 8 tomorrow morning... I hope we can do it. And that the traveling goes smoothly. What scares me is that she had a FANTASTIC night of sleep last night, and is sleeping deeply right now... which means that in all likelihood, tonight will not be great. The plan is for me to take the first driving shift, since Ess will likely be absolutely fine in the car for a couple hours. Then, as meltdowns near, we will stop at some of New England's fine rest stops, my sister will take over the driving, and I will probably at some point attempt to nurse Ess in her carseat in a moving vehicle. I'm a little unclear on the geometry involved, but I think it will work if it comes to that.
Despite the uncertainty of the traveling, though, I'm really looking forward to being in New Jersey. The main attraction is introducing Ess to her great-grandparents, something I absolutely can not wait to see. And then my parents are throwing a cookout on Saturday where Ess will meet her great aunts and uncles on my dad's side, as well as one of her great aunts on my mom's side. And there will be lots of friends there, too. (D had to miss this trip because he couldn't get the three days off from work, since his part-time paternity leave starts in a few weeks. Which means I go back to work in a few weeks. Which is the subject for another post entirely.)
On top of all the family stuff, we'll also celebrate my 34th birthday on Sunday (wtf? How the hell am I no longer 22?). My mom is treating me to either a massage or a pedicure on Friday, while she watches Ess. Sounds blissful to me.
I'll try to post when I'm down there, given all the other people who'll want to hold little Ess, but I'm not sure that will happen. If not, I'll be back here on Monday night.
Astonishingly, I've already got laundry done and lists made -- one for the grocery store, if Ess ever wakes up from her nap, and one of stuff I need to remember to bring. I think the actual packing will have to wait until D comes home, or until I can get Ess comfortable in her sling later this afternoon. (We went out for a nice walk early this morning -- and by early I mean 9 am -- and she totally conked out in the sling. Woke up to nurse briefly at our friends' house, then conked out again long enough for me to both stop at the variety store for some vitamin water (my new vice, since ice cream is out) and at the bakery for a decaf iced coffee (soymilk added at home).)
We're hoping to leave by 8 tomorrow morning... I hope we can do it. And that the traveling goes smoothly. What scares me is that she had a FANTASTIC night of sleep last night, and is sleeping deeply right now... which means that in all likelihood, tonight will not be great. The plan is for me to take the first driving shift, since Ess will likely be absolutely fine in the car for a couple hours. Then, as meltdowns near, we will stop at some of New England's fine rest stops, my sister will take over the driving, and I will probably at some point attempt to nurse Ess in her carseat in a moving vehicle. I'm a little unclear on the geometry involved, but I think it will work if it comes to that.
Despite the uncertainty of the traveling, though, I'm really looking forward to being in New Jersey. The main attraction is introducing Ess to her great-grandparents, something I absolutely can not wait to see. And then my parents are throwing a cookout on Saturday where Ess will meet her great aunts and uncles on my dad's side, as well as one of her great aunts on my mom's side. And there will be lots of friends there, too. (D had to miss this trip because he couldn't get the three days off from work, since his part-time paternity leave starts in a few weeks. Which means I go back to work in a few weeks. Which is the subject for another post entirely.)
On top of all the family stuff, we'll also celebrate my 34th birthday on Sunday (wtf? How the hell am I no longer 22?). My mom is treating me to either a massage or a pedicure on Friday, while she watches Ess. Sounds blissful to me.
I'll try to post when I'm down there, given all the other people who'll want to hold little Ess, but I'm not sure that will happen. If not, I'll be back here on Monday night.
posted by mc at 12:29 PM
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