Front Seat Freak Out!

This is Ian in the front seat.  I am still not used to this view.  It really freaks me out to look over and see Ian chilling in the front as I drive us around.  Now that he is 12 years old and over 100 pounds, Ian can legitimately be in the front. Heck, he isn't that much shorter than I am.  Ian has been waiting for this day for a very long time. And now its finally here.

I have one question as a result of Ian's new priority seating...where do I put my purse?

Riding around in the car

Sam and I were driving in the car.  The following conversation took place as we were approaching an intersection.

Sam:  Mommy, are you going to go right or left here?

Me:  I am making a right.

Sam: I thought so.

Me:  Huh?  You know your right from your left?!!?!?!

Sam:  Yes!

Me:  Ok, Sam, hold up your left hand.  (and she did it correctly).  Sam, hold up your right hand. (and she did that correctly).  WOW!!  That's great Sam.  Who taught you how to do that?

Sam:  Daddy.

Simply awesome.  :)

The magic of peanut butter

We pull up to the same traffic light every single morning, patiently waiting for it to turn green and get Ian to school.  This is the ONLY traffic light we encounter on our journey to his school.  Sometimes we see the light is already green from quite a distance away, and I've been known to 'gun it' trying to make the light.  When we do get there in time and can keep going through the intersection, there are cheers all around from me and the kids. 

Other times, we sit and sit (having just missed the light) and wait for what seems like forever, for all the sides to get their chance to go before we get a crack at it again. 

One day last week, we are sitting at the light and Sam says, "Ian, say peanut butter." 

Ian and me, in unison:  "What?"

Sam:  "Say peanut butter and the light will change!"

Ian and me, again in unison:  "WHAT!?!?"

Sam:  "Just say peanut butter!"

Ian:  "Ok, peanut butter"

And lo and behold, the light turned green at that exact moment.

Three days later, Ian and I are in the car, once again sitting at a light.  I guess Ian was getting a little antsy waiting for it to turn green.  And, without any fanfare or with Sam prompting him to say it, Ian says, "Peanut Butter."

Guess what?  The light turned green that very instant.

Meet Gertrude.

We have a very important new addition to the family.  Her name is Gertrude, but for short, I call her Gertie.  She is instrumental in my day-to-day activities and a Godsend when traveling to new destinations, or for that matter anything further than 5 miles from my house.  Yes, that's right, I am referring to my GPS.

Despite my love of all things technology and gadgets, I resisted getting one for years now.  I was holding out hope that eventually a new car would have the GPS integrated in the dashboard and it wouldn't be necessary to spend a few hundred dollars on a portable one.  However, the reality of getting a new car seems to keep getting further and further into the distance and in the meantime, I get lost more than socks in a dryer.



I don't even know how to work a compass

 I have no sense of direction.  None what-so-ever.  It is incredibly pathetic. I can go to the same place multiple times and never remember which direction will get me back home.  I believe I am actually retarded when it comes to having a sense of direction.  The only time I ever knew where we were, was in Florence.  Yes, as in Florence, Italy.  Maybe this is just how bad my sense of direction is, as it seems to be located in a completely different continent from where I reside.  For some reason, when Jeff and I went to Italy a few years ago, I felt very comfortable navigating our way around Florence and could always seem to find our way back to the hotel -- on the first try.  Jeff and I were both amazed by how my sense of direction seemed to kick in.  Funny enough, it was in a city where I didn't know the language and had never been before.

My mom has been offering to get me a GPS for many years now.  Each gift giving occasion her first suggestion is how about I get this for you.  Finally I caved and said yes, please do.  I am finally ready to admit just how bad I need help.  Poor Jen -- I drove us to the "Love the Run You're With 5k" in the Pentagon Row (Arlington) area a few weeks ago.  We made it there just fine, but the trip back (one I've done thousands of times!) was a sightseeing adventure that included Rosslyn (soooo in the wrong direction) all the way to Fort Belvoir (again, soooo in the wrong direction).  We made it home eventually, but it was pretty bad how off track we were.


Forget trying to read a map!


When my mom came to visit, we went together and picked out a pretty cool Garmin Nuvi GPS.  I love it and can't believe I've gone this long without it in my life. I keep it handy at all times and I can honestly say, it has already saved me (and those traveling with me) a handful of times.  For example, I met my friend in Bethesda for dinner.  I put the address in the navigation screen and it took me such a roundabout way that didn't have me touch the beltway.  This was so I didn't get stuck in traffic.  495 had a 50 minute delay and the route I was told to take (through D.C., snaking my way to Wisconsin Ave) had me moving the whole time.  I actually made it to the restaurant on time instead of being an hour late.  I would've NEVER been able to figure this out without the help of Gertie.  And, I wouldn't have known just how bad the delay was going to be on 495.

My mom excitedly got me the GPS in time for our trip to Hershey and the trip we are taking this weekend to Great Wolf Lodge.  She wanted me to have it as soon as possible and not wait until the end of June when my birthday actually occurs.  Unlike me, my mom knew how necessary this was.  Mom always does know best.


My new BFF

Gertie rocks and I will always have room in the car for her.  Fortunately she doesn't need a car seat, because I only have room for 2 of those.  :)

Green means go!

The wedding we went to almost 2 weeks ago was held at the beautiful location of Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. There are exactly 36 traffic lights separating us from this destination and our house. How do we know this? I counted.

495 was the primary road we used to get to the wedding, but on the way out of the parking lot at the end of the evening, Jeff & I debated briefly which way to go to get home. I commented that we could take 123/Chain Bridge all the way and Jeff said that there are too many lights we could get stuck at. I believe my reply was, "You never know, they could be all green." At which point a challenge was issued and we gave it a go.

To our amazement, out of the 36 traffic lights we had to drive thru, 34 of them were a solid green! One light (#17) was yellow turning red and we probably should've stopped, but I think even Jeff got caught up in the excitement and went for it. Light #33 was red and that was the first time we had to actually come to a full stop. I can attest to the fact that Jeff did the speed limit the whole way and no trickery was involved. We made it home in 18 minutes; probably the same amount of time as if we took the beltway, but I know for a fact we had more fun this way.

Keeping up with the flow of traffic

Most of the time I am in the car I have a back seat driver. He is about to turn 5 years old at the end of next month and he finds it his duty to tell me the speed limit EVERY SINGLE TIME he sees a speed limit sign. He'll even be chattering endlessly about something or other and in mid-sentence say, "...we didn't go outside today because...speed limit is 50...it was so windy". It is actually impressive how he doesn't lose his train of thought and can interject what the current speed limit is on whatever road we are on, even those we drive on 5 or 6 times a day.

With all this help on what the speed limit is, you would think it be easier for me to stay within the limits. However, this story is about to make me look bad, really bad. I got pulled over for speeding on the way to take Ian to preschool one morning last week. The main road we use to get to his school is Burke Centre Parkway. It is basically one big speed trap and I know where the cops are hiding in each direction. However, this one particular morning, the police decided to mix things up and pick a brand new spot. Busted! In my defense I have to say it has been years since I've gotten a speeding ticket and I try very hard to control my speed when my kids are in the car. I am not perfect and this is just one of my vices.

When I pulled over to the side of the road, the officer came up to my window and the first question he asked was, "Do you know what the speed limit is?" Boy, did I! I told him I have a big helper in the car seat behind me and I get reminded what the speed limit is every time we see a sign. Ian, at this point, has rolled down his window so he could get a good look at what was going on and gave the officer a big smile and said, "It is 40 mph." I wish I could say that the officer was so charmed by Ian that he decided to let me go with a warning, but no such luck. He left with my license and returned with a speeding ticket and big foil stickers for Ian and Sam. The sticker was about the size of a playing card and in the shape of a shield. On the sticker was the wording 'Junior Police Officer, Fairfax County'. The officer thanked Ian for all his help and gave him the sticker. Ian LOVES stickers and immediately put it on his shorts. Of course it being in silver and foil made it stand out all the more and the dark background of Ian's shorts didn't help it blend in either.

I was hoping Ian would get tired of wearing the sticker by the time we made it to his school, but he was really taking a liking to it. He walked in to his class and a few of his friends instantly spot the sticker and asked him where he got it. Ian, very loudly replied back with "MY MOMMY GOT IT FOR ME WHEN SHE GOT STOPPED FOR SPEEDING." Lovely.

Pocket Change

About 1.5 years ago, my friend Molly came into town for business and we met for dinner. I picked her up at her hotel and we drove to a nearby restaurant. Right away, Molly asked what that noise was. "What noise?" was my answer. I had gotten so used to it, that I didn't even hear it anymore.
"The sound of money clinking together.", Molly replied.
"Oh, THAT noise." I came back with.

There was a time when Ian would love to sit in the driver's seat and play with every button, switch, dial he could get his hands on. Thinking back, I believe Ian was either just about 2 or approaching his 2nd birthday. As long as the keys to the car were in my hands, I didn't mind and actually enjoyed knowing he was in one spot long enough to allow me to unload the car of groceries, packages and such. I just always had to be prepared when turning the car on again that the air or heat would be on at full speed, the windshield wipers would be on full force and the radio would be loud enough for my parents to hear it in Florida. Sometimes it would be a few hours before getting back in the driver's seat and it would get ya by surprise. Other times, I'd be ready for it.

One day Ian discovered the little compartment that held spare change. I didn't realize what evil things he could dream up with the coins until I went to buckle my seat belt. Yes, there would be a pesky little penny or dime sitting in the slot. OMG! That was a hard one to get out. And then I realized what else he could do with the change. Ian managed to put the coins in the steering wheel. Somehow he could get pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters in this tiny amount of space of the steering wheel where the air bag lives. Every time you go to turn the wheel, which as you know is a constant thing when driving, the change jingles back and forth. How annoying! I tried to get the change back out, but was unsuccessful. All I could think about was what if I got into an accident major enough to deploy the air bag? Not only would that come shooting at my face, but the spare change too. I can't imagine that would feel very good.

A few months passed and the next time I was at the dealership for an oil change I asked them to get the change out. The service rep said it would cost $100 as they have to work around the air bag and get it back in working order. At this point it wasn't worth spending $100 on it and I was willing to live with it. Like I said to my friend Molly, I don't even really hear it anymore. It has become background noise.

The day has come! We took the car into Honda for some maintenance on Saturday and come to find out there was an air bag recall on the driver's side. Woo-hoo!!!! Now the change would be taken out on someone else's dime (no pun intended!). Gone for good. I am sure the tech would be surprised when opening it up and seeing all this change come out. But then, he just needs to look in the back seat and see the two car seats for an easy explanation.

I am happy to report that at 120,000 miles my car is back to sounding almost quiet. Unfortunately there is still a penny or two floating around. It's okay though, when we are all back in our assigned seats, the noise level more than makes up for the sound of coins clinking together.

Time machine

On Wednesday I was at Sam's My Gym class and Miss Carmen had the movie soundtrack "Footloose" playing in the background. First let me say, I never felt so old when some of the moms in the class hadn't even been born yet when this movie came out in 1984. I can remember like it was yesterday sitting in the theatre watching it.

When the song, "Holding out for Hero" came on, I was instantly transported back in time to when I first got my drivers license. I was driving my dad's convertible Corvette, with the top down, blasting this song, taking the car to 100mph and more. Looking back, I can see this was foolish and consider myself very lucky that I never got stopped or worse, got into a horrible car accident going so fast. But this song calls for speed! And there is something about having the wind rush through your hair, leaving the dorky teenager behind and feeling cool, if only for 3 1/2 minutes.

Ah, how my life has changed! Now, 23 years later you can find me in a My Gym class for toddlers, listening to the same song, playing with my 21 month old. I hadn't heard or thought of that song in years. I went home and downloaded it on iTunes, adding it to my playlist "running". What a great, fast-paced melody it will be for me to run to. On Friday, when I was nearing the end of a 5 mile training run, the song came on my iPod. I heard the familiar beat and my feet picked up the pace feeling a little lighter. I upped the speed on the treadmill and ran a little faster. I did this for the awkward teenager I felt like back then, and the empowered woman I've turned into today. It was a great feeling.

BTW, to any parental units who may be reading this, I only drove like this a few times. And my top speed of 135mph only happened once. :) Don't worry, I definitely don't drive like this now; especially with 2 kids in the car. I never go more than 8 mph over the speed limit these days.

To hear the song to which I am referencing, please click below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc6zCpiGoUA

Heaven help us

The questions started innocently enough..."Is the gas on the right or the left?" "What does the wider one do?"

We were doing a power shopping trip in Hallmark (meaning I've got about two minutes to buy all the greeting card needs I have for the entire month) and Ian was quizzing me on the mechanics of how to drive a car. "Do you press them both at the same time?" That was the clincher when I realized he was teaching himself how to drive a car. And not just any car, my car. For the past day or two Ian has been jumping in the driver's seat any chance he has. He is measuring how much further he has before his feet touch the pedals.

On the way home from running some errands he told me that by age 9 he'll be big enough. His first stop is going to be Ho's Dynasty for lunch and then he is coming straight home. Ian told me that I'll be sitting in the passenger seat next time while he is driving.

Can I wear a helmet on this maiden voyage?