I still long for the long drives...

Be it midnight hunger pangs, late night ice cream cravings, or just our way of greeting the rains, we used to be always ready for the long drives and long rides (thankfully we both love travelling else  I would have died of boredom :P)!

Well, after having two kids, I did terribly miss all the 'we time' which we hardly get now and it always is a herculean task to strike the right balance between different roles- as a mother, as a wife, as a friend and so on.. 

Now long drives were more of a juggling task for me and an elaborate assignment of 'what if analysis':

• What if they refuse to sit in the car seat?: Get extra toys, make them sit in the car seat (In India its not mandatory to use a car seat for babies, we have bought one car seat, and the other baby, until 2 years used to be with me)
• What if they poop?:Carry extra diapers and wipes
• What if they puke?:Carry a wash cloth and a burp cloth
• What if they are hungry?: Carry food, water
• What if they feel cold?: Carry thermals

What if this and what if that and I used to get really worked up and stressed with the whole idea of stepping out! Ah and not to forget baby moods 'I am bored'/ 'I wanna drive the car!'/ 'Open the window'..There was no quality conversation between me and my husband during these long drives, the way it did before! He would be busy driving and I would be busy engaging kids on the back seat. And if at all luckily they both slept together, Conversation? who cares shut the eyes and nap was the first thing I could do :D

However, nothing is permanent, and as kids turned two, I borrowed this idea from a friend! We filled up the leg space on the back seat with cotton mattresses! So the set up now changed to one car seat behind the driver's seat and mattresses levelled up to the height of the back seat. A special mention of the Cookiie Look See Mirror  which I have clipped on my seat belt that helps me check on the kids and also communicate with them easily without turning all the way back! 

This arrangement helps us in many ways:

1. More space for kids, even to sleep comfortably
2. Safe, no fear of falling/ bumping
3. I got my place back- the FRONT seat :) It really brought a smile on my face as I was sitting back on the front seat literally after 2 long years!

And now, the what if answers were much easier than before! 

• What if they refuse to sit in the car seat?: Sit on the back seat together
• What if they poop?:Potty trained so not applicable..
• What if they puke?: Unlikely
• What if they are hungry?: Keep handy finger food and water bottles in the car pockets for easy access
• What if they feel cold?: Carry thermals

And that's how we kick started the long drives yet again! Luckily our kids too enjoy the drives now and love to look around, narrate what they see, sing songs, listen to music, and its really a very warm feeling. And this is why I really long for the long drives now:

1. We ACTUALLY get to communicate and exchange some good thoughts and smiles

2. I love to listen to the radio, especially the Red FM and Mirchi 95! Being a music lover and having learnt music for many years, songs, radio, rhythm was always a part of my life.. Somehow during the week, I so get hooked up in the tasks that I don't get time to tune in to music. Now I feel privileged when I listen to the songs during these weekend long drives..

3. I enjoy the peace!! Its THE time during the day, when there is a nice golden silence in the car! I am sure the kids enjoy it too..

Long drives help me unwind and rejuvenate, its our 'we time' sweetened with all the baby talks and songs and laughter of our two little angels!