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cars are not for children
My mom just moved back home to Connecticut. Yes, she is still pursuing her Master’s Degree in social work but she’s decided she wants to finish her degree in the Nutmeg state. The lure of the nutmeg is mighty.
As I drove with the girls from Manhattan to Connecticut to visit my mom, I did a little hands-free parenting…
“Summer, please stop whining and tell me what you need. No, Dylan is looking at that book. You can have it in two minutes. Summer, if you keep whining, you’re not getting the book. It’s Dylan’s turn. Look at this book instead. Summer, there is no reason to throw it on the floor. You can just say no thank you. No, you can’t have Dylan’s book yet. In another minute. We have a million books back there. Why don’t you look at a different one? Summer, why are you crying? You’re getting the book in a minute. Crying won’t make it happen any faster. Ok two minutes is up. Dylan, please give her the book now. No, I can’t read it to you. I’m actually trying to drive….”
When Jennifer H goes on her lovely, scenic Thursday drives, she must not take the kids along.
But once we arrived at the beach and felt the sand between our toes and the cool May breeze, the mini road trip was completely worth it.
Later on, we grabbed dinner.
Before becoming a mother, I would never have imagined that one day I’d go into a restaurant with my kids, sit down and start perusing the menu before realizing that my 2 1/2 year-old wasn’t wearing any shoes.
And then a momentary pause to think , “Did I even bring her shoes?”
And then I realize, yes I did.
And even better than shoes, the girls slept all the way back to the city.
mama bird notes:
Thanks to everyone who entered the contest to win a Kodak ESP-7 All-in-One Printer! Of course, now I’m dying to see these embarrassing, funny photos of you all. I had my dad randomly pick a winner (so if you didn’t win, take it up with him). The winner is jsk! Send your address to kelcey@mamabirddiaries.com and my dad will personally deliver the printer. Ok, it might be FedEx.
If you’re following my journey on 23andMe, here’s an excerpt from latest post. My husband has decided to take the DNA plunge:
“I’ve known my husband almost a decade and I just didn’t think he had any hidden talents left. But I was wrong because the guy can really spit. When I did my spitting for 23andMe, it took FOREVER…”
To read more, click here.
Finally, The Mouthy Housewives are here to answer your questions.
Just send your questions to ask@mouthyhousewives.com. Completely confidential.
Because if we can’t help you, who can?!
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jenn just leaves her children with me. ;p
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Bless your heart!! Just think when you move to the “Burbs” the drive will take less time.
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at least you actually remembered the shoes. Can’t say the same for me
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And the secret’s out, flutter dear.
I do take them sometimes, but the inside of my car sounds pretty much like yours. Except with me saying things like “Don’t kick your brother! Don’t tease your sister! For godsake, look at the pretty mountains!” And then it’s a really long time until I take them again.
(They do like the drives most of the time…it’s just not as peaceful as alone. I know, preaching to the choir here…)
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Laughing here… last summer I blogged about our road trip to Newport where my parents now live and how that 2.5 hour trip varied so much from the road trips of my single and college years, If you can survive the trip and look back it is quite commical.
I just emptied out the minivan to turn in… it was on a lease and I refused to drive it/be affiliated with it for one extra second… what I found in that car as I was cleaning it out was cmmical-slash-repulsive! Kids!!!!
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excuse the typo — comical
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i love that summer was shoeless joe jackson! even better, that the girls snoozed on the way home!
i swear it could be so much worse kelcey, fighting over books is good!
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I am pretty good about putting shoes on the kids before they get in the car (with my horror of dog doo residue and all), but whether they are still on when we reach our destination is another story.
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I was terrible as a child in the car. Most of all – as a very “exact” child – I hated it when we a) left later than my parents said we were gonna leave or b) arrived later than they said we would arrive. I was a nusience.
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my favorite road trip scenes:1. when my three year is constantly asking me to turn and see what she drew 2. when my 8 year says she is getting car sick and 3. when going over the mountain passes and the radio shuts out and I have to revert to THEIR songs on the IPOD…UGH.
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This is why when we go somewhere my children are locked in the trunk…what?! Of course, mine are older so when they’re acting up ‘The Look’ works so well…
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I’m jealous that you got toes in the sand…and I’m a little scared for our 1500 mile car trip coming up very soon…
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so funny–i have to remind my kids all the time that I can’t help them because I’m driving too! The other day I had to put James’ shirt and shoes on before we went in a store–felt like such a hick.
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shoes are overrated. i take mine off as soon as i get home, and as soon as i get into the office.
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I’m dying to get one of those cars with TVs in them. I know, I know, it’s a crutch. Still, it beats hobbling all the time, doesn’t it?
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We got to send your kids some havianas!
Everyone’s going to the beach this weekend it seems. Something about the beach that totally refreshes you.
Have a great weekend!
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All the way to the city? That rocks! Who cares about the shoes!
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parenting certainly changes how we look at EVERYTHING!
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You know what’s really bad? When your 3 year old starts arguing with her imaginary friend, in the back seat, and you reach back (daddy was driving) to take away the pretend ball of PlayDoh and then hand it to your 3 year old only to have her dissolve into hysterical sobs.
Apparently I suck at parenting the imaginary, because I removed “Ali’s” eye rather than taking away the PlayDoh.
Imp is going to be a long time in forgiving me for poking out Ali’s eye. Oiy vey!
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one needs to be like an orangutan when driving with kids!!!
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This was hialrious because, I swear to God, I have reffed that same exact fight in my back seat at least 20 times!
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I’m always weighing…do I feed the kids and keep them happy, or risk them choking and having to heimlich with just my right fist…
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I don’t remember where we were, but I do remember that someone pointed out that I’d put my sons shoes on the wrong feet. Ooops.
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um, you know moving to CT will mean more time spent “hands-free parenting”, right? I’ve literally stopped the car to get out and discipline because I couldn’t get the job done while driving.
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