Road Trip!

Let's just preface this with I am a crazy lady.

On to the weekend:

Stephen went hunting this weekend (opening weekend of bow season) so Bennett and I made plans to travel up to Auburn (with my mom and Erin) to see Rachel. On Saturday, I was going to go see two of my best friends and college roommates, Mandy and Kat, in Birmingham. Then Sunday I was to head home. I was a little curious as to how Bennett would handle all the driving, but thought it would "be good for him" to make the trip. Good for what, I dont know....practice maybe?? Practice for what, I dont know.

Well, I woke up earlier than Bennett on Friday, got everything packed and ready, and then when he woke up I fed him his bottle, dressed him in his cutest outfit ever (of course), and fed him his breakfast. Last bite, "all done" and then everything the poor boy has had to eat over the past three days decided to come up and say Hello again. MMMMMM just wonderful let me tell ya. So we had a minor (MAJOR) mess on our hands. Bennett is scared, but then is OK and making his happy noises, while I strip him and give him a quick sponge bath. Change him into his second cutest outfit ever, and we pile up in the car and head to Auburn.

Yea, don't judge - last time he did this, he only threw up a couple times and then had two teeth break through, so I just thought that must be what this is. We are close to the Prichard exit on the Interstate (aka not the best exit to be near) and I look back to see B letting another round roll all over himself. He is freaked out, I am freaked out and looking for a safe exit to pull over on. I was speeding, yes, but was already thinking I had a pretty good excuse if I got pulled over.

I pulled over to a Krystal's parking lot and spent about 15 minutes cleaning up the mess. OK what would YOU use to clean up a mess like this in your car? Towels? Baby wipes? oh yes all those things...all of which I did not have. Towels...well I just didn't have one, and wipes...well I left those on the counter after using them to clean up the first mess at home. So I used the few wipes I had on hand in my diaper bag, and dressed my sickly child in an old t-shirt I found in the trunk that had somehow been neglected from the Good Will trip made last week. It was quite messy. MESSY. Did I say messy?

So, Baby dressed in oversized tshirt in a yucky carseat, we head out of the parking lot. And here we go again. Where is all this yuck coming from? This is more than I have had to eat in the past week!! Oh child. I cry, he cries. My mom and Erin call to let me know they are on the interstate ahead of me. Erin, the traveling pharmaceutical rep, informs me there is a WalMart at the next intersection on this exit. I use the neglected tshirt to wipe clean my babe, and drive his nakedness to Wallyworld.

Bennett and I join the masses unlike ever before, as I wheel him into the fine establishment (as you know from previous posts how much I LOVE me some WalMart...ahem) in just his diaper and a pair of socks. Lookin GUUUD. Crazy thing though, we didn't get a single stare or even a point and snicker or even a second glance. This appears to be the "norm" in this particular, fine establishment.

I check out with the following:

1. Large box of thick Huggies wipes
2. Baby cologne (didnt know they even made this stuff)
3. Seven $1.20 white hand towels
4. One 18 month size tshirt with the following precious slogan "Gone Fishin with Grandpa"
5. One 24 month size tshirt with the following even more precious slogan "Holding out for Chocolate Milk"
6. A number One with Root Beer from the local fine dining restaurant so conveniently connected to this, fine establishment

We get back to the car, I give B a full body wipe down, a quick splash with the baby cologne, then another full body wipe down after it is decided that the baby cologne smells like something died, and then I dress him in one of his new fine fine duds, place a towel in the carseat, then the baby, then another towel, then a bib, and then munch hungrily on my egg mcmuffin whilst I drive out of the WalMart parking lot.

And then I drive home.

SIKE! That is what one might have thought any sane mom would have done at this point. I on the other hand was determined to complete what I started, and drove my frazzled butt up to Auburn. Sweet Bennett slept nearly the entire way.

The rest of the weekend was worth the drive. Bennett was a little fussy, drank only apple-flavored Pedialyte (he will throw his bottle containing any of the other flavors at you), slept soundly, and did wonderfully on all the car rides. He threw up a few more times. Glorious.

It was great to hang out with all my girls - fam and friends - and besides Rachel getting a lovely 24hour gift from B after we left, I think everyone was happy to see Bennett as well.

Reading with Kat, and modeling one of his new WalMart's finest

Bennett telling Mandy what he thinks of her Great weekend, followed by 36 great hours of a quite uniquely-similarly-sick Mommy. Bennett is still throwing up as of Tuesday, but has his 9 month check up (right on schedule might I add, since he turns 10 months next week) today at 3. The buddha belly he proudly sports isn't quite as buddha-ish these days, and I fear my future sumo wrestler may need to binge in the upcoming weeks in order to get back up to his fighting weight. I am back to my "normal" self and feel like eating everything out of the pantry. That is what two and a half days of saltine crackers and gatorade will do to you. Poor B...he's had 5 days of apple flavored pedialyte and bananas or green peas. I bet he is ready for a feast as well.

Please pray for health....and click HERE for another new post