Away we go......

So today is the day (hopefully) that we head back home to NY. Both my husband and I are from western NY, so we take the long drive there every Christmas. This year it will be very interesting because it's the first time Bug has taken a road trip since she was 6 weeks old--and it's going to be a LONG one. We plan on leaving tonight after my husband gets done with work so she'll be sleeping for most of it. We'll drive til we can't drive no mo' (typically in VA) and then stay somewhere for the night (sneak the dogs in..shhh) until we start all over again in the morning. We always choose to drive up for Christmas because we have the 2 dogs (with no one to watch them and we won't board them), our junk, and all the Christmas presents. Hubby tells me to pack light, but 1. I'm a girl, 2. It's winter and FREEZING cold in NY (did I mention it's supposed to be in the 20s???) so everything that I pack is huge and takes up tons of space (pardon me, but it's a little harder to "pack light" with parkas and sweaters than with tank tops), and 3. I'M A GIRL!! Hello---hair products and shoes?? hehe! Ok, I'm not that bad, but I thought I'd play up the girlie card, especially when I don't feel so girlie anymore with this whole not showering occasionally thing. :-) ANYWHO.....The car is usually packed enough, but now we're adding a carseat, the heavy-duty Chicco stroller, maybe a pack n' play, and a Bug!! How we're going to fit everything is beyond me!

This trip should be interesting, to say the least. Darling Dearest has been sick for the past couple days.....I mean SICK. The other night, he spent the entire time after work throwing up everything and anything that entered his body. He didn't have a temperature though, so he was hoping that it was a weird lunch or something random. The following day, he actually stayed home from work--HUGE deal since it was probably only the 2nd time he's done this in 6 1/2 years of working for this company. He didn't eat anything that day. I was practically force-feeding him crackers. Yesterday, he felt well enough to go to work, but came home for lunch for a fancy meal of TOAST. YUM!! He didn't eat dinner (toast again) and he was feeling sick last night and this morning. Now, he doesn't know whether he's still sick or if he's just sick and weak from not eating. Either way....NOT a good thing before we head out on a 14 hour trip (in normal weather). I told him I planned on driving so he could rest, but he thinks that'll make him feel worse--like the road will be a distraction. We'll see.

So we've got the pukey husband. On top of that, we've got 2 dogs---including 1 EXTREMELY anxious one. We're driving at night so Bug can sleep most of the time. Well, I just recalled how anytime and EVERYTIME we stop anywhere or even slow down enough that Rome (the extremely anxious one) thinks we're stopping...he freaks the heck out. He's whining, getting antzy, racing for the door. If Hubby is getting gas....he sits at the door, scratching the window and continues to whine like the biggest baby you've ever seen---AND he can see him!! It's not like Hubby disappeared. He's right in front of him! Ugh. Love him to death, but he's SOOO annoying (Rome, not hubby). Not to mention that last time we made this trip with the both of them when I was about 8 months pregnant, they both wanted to be on my lap the entire time. Not fun for several reasons---can't move, stretch out, or get comfortable--but the biggest being that I was covered in dog hair. COVERED! I kept throwing them in the back seat, but somehow they found their way back on my lap--yep. TWO dogs!

Yeah, I know....SO cute. Well cute isn't so comfy on the long haul from GA to NY. And cute doesn't make annoying any less annoying. And cute makes an otherwise decent car ride EXHAUSTING!

Cut to this year. Without the ability to predict the future, I think I'll come pretty darn close. Bug will be an angel and fall asleep relatively quickly. She'll be sleeping peacefully UNTIL the boys start getting whiney to come up on my lap or we stop for gas, food, a chance for Hubby to puke...you name it. Bug is rudely awaken from her slumber and begins to scream. We have dogs whining and scratching at the door, Bug screaming, and Darling Dearest puking his brains out (complete with broken blood vessels all around his eyes--he gets this EVERY time he throws up without fail). As a result, I will be twisted around in crazy positions attempting to stick a boob in Bug's mouth to get her calm, all while reaching to smack the annoying dogs down from the door with one hand and offering Darling Dearest a wipe or a cracker with the other hand. All of this in a packed car where no one can move or even dare to breathe. How's that for a fun car trip??

To top all of that off, soon we will be home and will be walking the line of pleasing everyone. We'll be home a week and have two families to visit, plus all of my extended family, and some of our friends. It's always so hard because Hubby only has his parents in NY to see while I have both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (some of whom only come up once a year and didn't last year), etc. His family wants equal time, but it's such a stresser for both Hubby and I to see everyone and give them their time with me having SO much more family to see---especially now with the Bug involved. Prior years,  Hubby and I would separate some nights so he could be with his fam and I could be with mine. It was GRAND that way. I don't know how that's going to roll this year with a Bug who has to be attached to me, as the source of her food and grandparents who will fight to the finish to see her.

Did I mention that she's getting her first tooth?? Yeah, I saw it yesterday. She's been really fussy this week, especially during mealtimes. We get in full-out food fights when I'm sticking mushed food in her mouth. Well, now I know why. So I'm going to have a sick hubby, one fussy/teething baby, and two dogs to wisk between two houses EVERY. OTHER. NIGHT!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm totally looking forward to going home and seeing everyone (I actually love being there), but there's parts I'm also DREADING. Here's to hoping for no additional stress and drama than what's innately in the plans.

So now I'm going to end this post because I have a MILLION things to do. Let's be honest--I totally didn't have the time to sit in bed and write this post. In no alternate universe should this have been on my list of things to do, much less one of the first things I did. BUT, I figured you all needed to know what the next week will look like for me. I may or may not be able to update my blog while home. We'll see how hairy it gets. Either way, I'll make sure to take lots of pictures and am bound to have some stories.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear what fun and crazy plans you have for Christmas. I know, it's politically correct to say "holidays", but it's Christmas for me. It's all about the birth of Christ, so I'm hoping to keep that in the forefront of my mind, even amidst the chaos this time of year brings.

If I don't get a chance to say it beforehand (if I'm separated from my blog), Merry Christmas to all of you. I hope you have a wonderful and restful time with those you love!