Out of Town

Just a couple of things before I go…

Remember that it's prunes in the morning, banana at night, and no eggs or broccoli after 2 p.m. Milk before you leave the house and only water in the car. Under no circumstances does GloWorm leave the house.

Oh, and don’t forget, you’ll need to pack a back-up outfit and extra books for Grandma's. You have to send her with enough milk for the whole day and divide it into separate cups, or Grandma will let her have all of it before noon.

I’m sure you two will be fine. Just try to get everything in the car before you get her out of bed, because it's too cold to leave her in the car seat while you pack and you can't leave her alone in her high chair (she might choke, and if you try to park her there with some toys she'll throw them against the wall in protest) so you'll have to carry her on your hip while you shuttle back and forth.

Make sure you leave the hatch open, because when you bend down to pick up her diaper bag she'll pick your pocket and take the keys, and if you get locked out of the house you'll have to call a locksmith, which you won't be able to do since you left your cell phone on the counter to remind you to make sure the oven is off before you leave, so you'll have to drive to a neighbor's house to use their phone, which you won't be able to do unless the hatch is open because she will have pushed the "LOCK" button just before dropping the keys in the crack behind her car seat, and the only way to reach them is to crawl through the hatch, so definitely leave the hatch open.

Unless it's windy, because every time you walk past the garage door opener she'll press the button and you'll end up with a back seat full of snow and old newspapers.

I guess that’s it. You have the number to the hotel, right?

I noticed two new teeth coming in, so if she’s cranky and chewing on everything you can give her a dropper of the infant Tylenol. Don’t let her hold the dropper because she’ll wave it around and get Tylenol in her hair.

And you know that rash she gets when she’s teething? There’s a new tube of Balmex on my vanity. She recognizes the tube, so you’ll have to give her something to hold, or she’ll slide her fingers in it and put them in her mouth before you can stop her.

The pink aspirator is there too, because she’ll probably get a runny nose. I know, I know, you’ve done it a hundred times… you’ll be fine.

Just make sure you hold her really still or she’ll toss her head just as you put the bulb in her nose and she could rupture her nasal passage.

That’s all.

Oh, yeah. Remember to put all of her musical toys away by 7:00, otherwise she has a hard time winding down for bed. If you change her diaper in the middle of the night, don't make eye contact and don't whisper anything soothing into the semi-darkness, or you'll never make it out of her room alone. And if she wears non-footy pajamas you have to put her socks on underneath the pajamas, or she'll pull the socks off and wake up in the night with cold feet.

All right, I guess I should go.

Dr. Martin’s number is on the refrigerator.

She’s tall enough now to open the kitchen drawers. She can’t reach into them yet, but she can smash her fingers when she closes them, so keep an eye on her. I know you always do!

Kiss, kiss. I love you!

Do you want me to take her ponytail out before I go? If the rubber band slides off she may find it and put it in her mouth. OK. I’m going. I know you two will have fun. I love you!

See you tomorrow!

Sally Bacchetta - Freelance Writer
Freelance Writer
Parenting
Motherhood

The ABCs of You and Me

A is for angels who guard day and night
B is for batteries to keep GloWorm bright
C is for Corduroy and colic cured
D is for Dada - your very first word
E is for Elmo (whether I like it or not)
F is your first year - we've all learned a lot
G is your giggle, more precious than gold
H is the heaven your little hugs hold
I is for ice pack and instant relief
J is a jewel-colored early-fall leaf
K is for kicking through puddles and snow
L is for love - and someday, letting go
M is for Mama and melodies sung
N is for "no" at the top of your lungs
O is organization (my ongoing mission)
P is for prayer and pediatrician
Q is for questions and quiet and quest
R is a rascal resisting a rest
S is for silly and sweet and spontaneous
T is I treasure time just for the three of us
U is understanding that unfolds, unexpected
V is Daddy's voice saying, "We've been selected."
W is wonder and wander and wow!
X is for X-ray (headfirst from the stroller somehow)
Y is for you and Yahweh, we've been blessed
Z is your zeal and your unbridled zest!

Sally Bacchetta - Freelance Writer
Freelance Writer
Parenting
Motherhood