Jen and I decided that we would come up with a fantastic plan for traveling 12+ hours in the car with 3 children. This plan, consisted of driving as far as possible while all the dudes were sleeping. We thought that Atlanta would be far enough and we could handle the 4 hours after our hotel stay. When I got off of work on Friday, we drive into NOLA to pick up Owen who was visiting GaGa and Pops, bathed and fed everyone and started on the road at 7pm. How smart is it to start driving that far at 7pm? We were hoping for the best, not knowing how this would actually turn out...
6 hours, a No-Doz, and many old CDs later with hardly a peep out of anyone, we pulled into the hotel which was 30 minutes outside of ATL. There were some logistics to consider when we got there...the kids, the bags, the checking in, trying not to put anyone down on a semi gross hotel room floor (Jen was grossed out more by the thought and not so much be actual grossness). We did end up with all 3 pack and plays that we requested (thank God) and unfortunately, I had to set them up at 2am. We continued with normal nighttime routines even though we were all in the same room (though it was a suite). Everyone slept pretty well, I was hoping for at least 4 hours and we got 4.5 so I can't complain. Owen charmed the pants off the hotel staff while I gathered up oatmeal, cheerios, and COFFEE from the hotel breakfast bar. He is sometimes so shy and other times, he will talk to EVERYONE.
We hit up Dunkin Donuts for some more coffee and we were back on the road. With not as much success, but with what we still considered a win, we endured the remainder of the trip thanks to two dual screen DVD players in the car. I would have been the last person to think that a 9 month old baby (or two) needed a DVD player to watch in the car. I think I remember seeing a screen in a rear facing seat and thinking what lazy, terrible parents those people must be. Needless to say, my opinion has changed trying to keep not one or two, but 3 kids as quiet as possible for 13 hours.
A few, fairly uneventful hours later, we got to SC and were rescued by MawMaw and PawPaw.
For those who have little children, and have to travel across country...I would recommend against it. Just kidding, it is way better to drive cross country than fly with little kids, the possibilities of mass chaos on a plane are endless. In the car, at least you can always take the next exit and stretch your legs at a luxurious truck stop in the middle of Alabama...
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