e did the unimaginable and drove all the way up the coast for a little holiday. We thought we were smart. We thought we could do it…
We had a grand plan. We always do. That’s what parenting is about. Plans, hope, dreams…
It was New Year’s Eve. We watched the early fireworks at 9pm and then headed off. The car was packed already {with a surf ski on the roof – one of the whole reasons for having to go by car instead of plane} and we were ready for the trip ahead. We gave Lacey a bottle and thought she’d sleep the whole way. I envisioned a quirky and almost romantic start to the new year. We’d listen to the radio as we drove along, hear the countdown and give each other that knowing glance, accompanied by a smile and wish each other a Happy New Year.
Oh no. That is not how it happened. Lacey slept until about 11:45pm. And that was it. At midnight she was screaming. Unhappy to be sleeping upright and in her car seat. I was in the back seat with my body contorted just so she could nuzzle her little hand down my shirt {which is her thing she does at the moment for comfort}. Happy New Year.
She didn’t sleep from just before midnight, all the way until her weary little eyes couldn’t stay open any longer at 4:30am. We watched Hi-5 DVD over and over again. My eyes couldn’t stay open, as much as I tried. My body was twisted, my eyes ached for some much needed sleep {and a comfy bed}.
We got there though. Eventually. The only problem was that we eventually had to get home again.
And when we got home I wanted to kiss the dirty backpacker trodden ground of Bondi. We were home. I think that’s all we said for the first hour of getting inside. Home. Home. Home. Home.
Do you have any road trippin’ tales to share?
I probably shouldn't share my roadtrip tale as it was a far cry from the pain and discomfort you experienced. 12 hours across Canada through the night for my cousin's wedding the next day with a 4 and 6 year strapped in the back of the car. They slept the whole way. Then turned around and came all the way..in one weekend. Tiring.
I think though that if my kids had been the same age as your Lacey, it would NOT have gone that smoothly.
Oh no, that sounds terrible! Poor little thing, but at least she had fun once you got there – that's the memory you'll keep.
We did a driving trip to Central Australia last year with our 8 month-old. 3 weeks of driving and camping with a crawling, standing baby. We had to drive less in each day than we usually would, to give her time to let off some energy and tried to time the drives around her nap times. Luckily, she sleeps pretty well in the car. It was a lot of fun (mostly; I'm blanking out the gastro she had for the first couple of days. Won't go into detail on that, but yeah, not fun in the car.), but everyone thought we were insane.
We've had some dreadful roadtrips – but no further than 30 minutes when the little girls were less than 6 months old, In capsules one would start crying and tip the other one off then Eloise would get upset and all three of them would be in an inconsolable mess. The solution was to get them out the car so we'd have to keep driving whilst shh shhing and our stress levels rising through the roof. No wonder we hardly went out!!
Did you get a rest at all on the trip? How was the trip back?
I love a good road trip with my friends, but I can only imagine how difficult it would be with small children!
I know that my parents have been turned off the idea of family roadtrippin' since 1996 when we spent a week driving around Tasmania.
My brother (then 5) was a horrible traveller and spent the whole week vomiting into empty margarine containers.
Me, being the kind and caring older sister that I am, I began sympathy spewing.
It was too much for poor Mum, who couldn't stand the sight (and smell) of so much spew, so she decided to join in too. Poor Dad was stuck in a car with 3 vomiting passengers.
My whole family now hates Tasmania.
x
No roadtrips for me with my kiddos. Never been crazy enough to try. (No offense)Of course now I have a 7 yr old, a 4 yr old, a 21 month old and a 1 month old, so I'm pretty certain I have no roadtrips anytime in my new future. Kudos to you for trying though.
Oh no!
I was hoping you would say that she slept the whole way and it was easy. We've been thinking about a road trip too this summer but now I'm not so sure.
Sorry to hear you all had a rough time.
When I was first pregnant we went up to Byron Bay. I vomited the whole way up. Not the best experince.
I've got a road trip coming up. It's only about 5 hours each way but it'll all be packed in to one weekend – the joy! (O.o)
These kinds of stories I could fill a blog with. Oh wait, I do have a blog about this lol
Telle I have soo many stories like this from our adventure.
But the important thing is you were brave enough to set off on an adventure as a family. Now that's a great start to 2010
You are way to brave, a planned road trip, no way! I did however have to drive 3 hours each way to a funeral late last year. Immy was fine on the way there, easily distracted, happy chilling out to the Wiggles, eating chips (bad mummy!) but on the way back, slept for the first half an hour and then screamed for the next hour! Only stopped when I climbed in the back with her. Urgh, won't be trying that again anytime soon.