So, Yes, We ARE Crazy...Day 1/Driving to Atlanta

On Monday morning May 3rd, we packed up the Tahoe (which Todd had had one of his yard boys scrub the sucker from top to bottom earlier in the week to meet what he calls his wife's wolf-scent standards...yes, it passed!) and headed to Atlanta Georgia for the annual Waste Management Expo, by best bet a 16 hour drive. Our goal was to make at least 12 hours of that on Monday as Todd wanted to be in Atlanta by noon time Tuesday to hit up the Expo in the afternoon. He had talked about going for months, wanting us to join him...me so nervous about traveling with an 18 month old and 2 month old, but ultimately deciding the experience of being together as a family was more than worth the potential stress.

We brought, of course, Shrek 1-3 and a couple of other DVDs as fortunately, the Tahoe is equipped with a player. Well, it's a good thing we did. We were on the road by 9:15am, with Todd having gone to the yard to get the week started while I got the stuff and kids ready. Abbey, her stomach full, was sleeping. But Adam woke up miserable. Todd put in Shrek 3 and he watched it...but when it was over, he was crying and miserable. We didn't realize at first, but the heavy downpour of rain was freaking him out, too. It made sense once I put two and two together because crying isn't usually his thing until he's really pushed to his breaking point. And it didn't occur to me at first because my son is pretty fearless. So I crammed into the back between two car seats and stayed their most of the way. We stopped twice for gas and food on the go...I know, not the healthiest, but we had BK breakfast and Mickey D's dinner as we wanted to get there as quick as possible. Most of the afternoon and evening, the A-team took turns being sad or grumpy. Between feeding Abbey (don't ask how uncomfortable that was!!) and trying to help Adam through the trip with no real nap, it got a little challenging. But thank GOD for SHREK!!! It made the trip bearable for Adam, who got so excited when we stopped for gas and Daddy walked him around to stretch his little legs.

At 10:30ish in the evening as they both were crying on either side of me I told Todd "It's time..". I just couldn't take it anymore!! I'm getting better at hearing my kids cry...but seeing their faces, Abbey with real big tears since she was born and Adam's "face collapse" is too much for me.

So we stopped at a Motel 6 in Spartansburg, SC. Adam did not travel too well on our honeymoon in October, so I was assuming the worst. But he went to sleep in his pack and play and Abbey slept in her car seat by midnight. I had pictured her crying at night and waking him up. But she didn't...she slept until 6amish when I heard her kissey noises and got to her. The night actually went well.

And the next morning, I realized that although I had gotten stressed by the end of the night, the trip went better than I had expected, too. I had spent so much time worrying about both the trip and all sleeping in the same room...and it was fine. It was the beginning of a lesson I learned all week...to loosen up and that pushing Adam out of his routine a little...and me...may be a good thing!

PS That night I put Abbey on one of the beds and turned around and she was rolled over...uncertain if Adam did it or she did....!