Happy Thankgiving

Thanksgiving 2007

The first thing I have to say about traveling with two kids is that the prep time required is astounding. Especially when you have a projectile pooper and a child with food allergies. Chris and I started packing for Thanksgiving at around 4 pm on Wednesday. The first step was Chris to take a trip to Stop and Shop for provisions. I stayed at home and began packing.

Our provisions included: nine cloth diapers for Owen, ten normal diapers (obviously too many diapers, but you never know), ten diapers for Colin, a pack of wipes, four outfits for Owen (two nice outfits, two comfy outfits), three outfits for Colin (two nice…one primary outfit with a backup and a comfy outfit just in case), two burp cloths, a nursing cover, two blankets, two warm winter hats (one for each), Colin’s jacket, ten or so books for the ride up including a brand new Dora sticker book, two DVDs (only to be used under emergency conditions), food for Colin (a waffle for breakfast, cooked pasta, peas and carrots, blueberries, strawberries, fruit treats and crackers), drinks for Colin (two big straw cups full of soy milk, an extra supply of apple juice and three extra straw cups), and the digital camera.

By 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning we were all packed and prepared to go. We left the boys in the pajamas, I nursed Owen and we were in the car and ready to drive! The trip up to CT was unremarkable. Colin happily looked at books, Owen slept and then played with a toy. Sigh, it was good. We got to Brig and Evan’s and were able to spend some time with them. We saw Baby Liam’s adorable nursery and Colin had a blast playing with Tuli. I nursed Owen twice, changed both boys into their tier one nice outfits and we headed off to N.

Once again, we were all packed up in the car and ready to go. Owen fell asleep, Colin ate crackers and looked at books and we survived the drive. We did have to circumnavigate when we realized the Merritt was closed a few exits ahead, but apparently Chris used “the force” to get us to N.

We when arrived Colin was beyond excited for “happy Thanksgiving”. He was extremely excited to see Matthew and Elizabeth. The dinner there was nice. Chris ate his meal quickly while trying to entertain Colin. We ate in the living room around the coffee table.

Nursing Owen was interesting. I had to sneak upstairs to do it in private. I had my nursing cover all ready to go, but surveyed the scene and quickly realized it would be weird to nurse in front of everyone. Thankfully he wasn’t on a nursing every 45 minute kick, so it wasn’t too bad.

We left around 4 to get on the road and hopefully get back before the boys really got tired and Owen got fussy. So we changed, the boys, Owen got in comfy clothes and we got on the road. All was well for about the first 45 minutes, as we approached the Tappan Zee bridge, Owen started to cry. At first it was a soft cry, but it quickly turned desperate. I hung over the front seat so he could see my face. That made it worse. We made it over the bridge in the POURING rain (seriously so bad that we saw a car spin off the road…they were okay thankfully) and we pulled off the highway into a mall parking lot. I got Owen out of his car seat to nurse him. I started feeding him, but of course he was just happy to be out of the car seat and wanted to coo and smile. I got him to nurse and then BOOM poop explosion. I hopped up, Chris jumped up and grabbed the diaper bag and I changed him (thankfully the poop was contained in the diaper). So I sat back down in the front seat and started nursing him again. Two minutes later BOOM another poop explosion. This time it blasted out of the top of the diaper all over Owen. So now I have a naked baby on the front seat of the car, a pooped through outfit and an extremely poopy diaper. So Owen went into comfy outfit #2 and I put him in the carseat to head on our way.

Thankfully he cheerfully started playing with his carseat toys, but it was Colin’s turn to get angry at the car ride. He was very cranky (no nap and SO tired of the car). We were cracking up when he said "all done!", I asked "all done with what Colin" and he answered "all done with the CAR!"

When we got him home and out of the bath we have a ritual of letting him pick out his pajamas (or as he calls them ta-jamas). He has two favorite pairs, a pair he calls the "elerant ta-jamas" (they have elephants, lions and monkeys on them) and his "lion ta-jamas" (they have lions on them). He jumped out of the bath and said "lion ta-jamas!". We calmly told him the lion pajamas were dirty and in the wash. So Chris grabbed the "elephant pajamas" and he told Colin he could wear the elephant pajamas tonight. Colin looked at him and said "lion ta-jamas". He explained again and told him the lion pajamas were diry. Colin looked right at him and pointed to the lion on the "elephant pajamas" and said "There's a lion right there, LOOK!". We died laughing. He was right.

So, to sum up the day, it was long, it was hard, it was at times stressful and at times hilarious. But me, Chris, Colin, Owen were together. And that’s the most important thing in the world. I’m so thankful for my boys.