Diaper bag- check. Juice cups and water bottles- check. Go get your socks and shoes on! Did you brush your teeth yet? Please go potty before you get in the car! I have to change Ella's diaper. Alayna, can you please go find Izzy and put her in the laundry room. Cailin, where are your shoes? Eric, BRUSH YOUR TEETH!!! Everyone look for Mommy's keys- must be in the car. This is just a small earful of the "It's time to go...let's get ready!" speech. One day I might put it all to music.
Finally, out- everything and everyone. Now let's get in the car. Go in and buckle! Mommy will be right back - keys must be inside. I come back out- GET BUCKLED!!! Everyone clicks- we pull away. Right in a cirlce we go...back into the driveway. Mommy forgot her wallet and cell phone. (This happens quite often, and I am sad to report often times it's found in the diaper bag.)
We live more than thirty minutes from everything. I am blessed that the kids do so well in the car.
Today's destination is Clearwater, Florida...home of the Phillies Spring Training stadium. Alayna and Cailin are with Gammy and Ella and I are packed in a van of boys. To the backseat I go...perfect view of Miss Ella.
Here's the scoop on Ella-teething, coughing, congested, tired. She HAS TO sleep on the way there. Our eyes engage quite often. She's not used to Mommy sitting in the back seat. To actully sit and watch her play, squeal, point, and giggle- despite my bottom falling asleep as I sit back here, this is quite nice. Her eyes though are so blue and SO HEAVY. She's watching me and fighting it. Thirty minute nap- tops. This should be an interesting day...
To my surprise she had a ball (no pun intended). Didn't bat an eyelash (no pun intended)...no sleep during this game. When the day was done...she got back in her carseat, got woozy, and did not notice me staring at all. Eyes shut and asleep. What a beautiful view I had! I am thankful that I could change my point of view for those moments. My mist became meaningful again.
