Road Tripping Toddler

This may be the only photo I took of Jane
on Valentine's Day 2014

Jane and I survived 24+ hours together in the car this week. We went to Oklahoma for my great aunt's funeral. I was very glad we went because the service was healing for me, as was being with my family and other people to whom Norma Lee had been very important. It always nourishes my soul to see Owen and Gran and Gingie and Aunt B.

The travel was less nourishing, as so much driving is utterly exhausting. Jane was a champ, and she read, colored and listened to songs all the way. She didn't sleep at all on the way there, despite a 5:45 a.m. wake up call and monotonous landscapes, cold temperatures and cloudy skies (see video below). I'll never understand her ability to fight off sleep even in a moving car.

On the way home she did grab a 30-45 minute power nap after lunch. It was sunny and much warmer, but I wised up and on the advice of my friend (with whom Jane stayed during the funeral) -- unlike on the way there I didn't engage with her, turned off the music and didn't keep handing her books/toys when I wanted her to nap. She fussed a little but not so much that I couldn't stand it. Jane is used to sleeping in darkness, so she threw her lovey over her head and slept until she got too hot to sleep any more. Her poor head was all sweaty. I'm sure even the short nap helped and took the edge off slightly.

I used some of the same tricks as during our Christmas drive, although I wasn't able to help her with anything during the drive and she can't do the gel clings for a while because she sometimes puts them in her mouth! Nunga. She did color some on this trip, and thankfully when she started coloring herself she only had washable crayons available. Good grief.

We checked out a few CDs from the library, which were good. Jane likes listening to songs but not stories. If I put on a non-song CD or track on my iPod she would just say "SONGS. SONGS." over and over again. Toward the end she had fallen in love with this song by Ernie, "Up Goes the Castle," and requested it on repeat by calling for the "QUEEN SONG." I'll be glad to return that CD.

It took closer to 13 hours to get home, thanks to Baton Rouge traffic and me needing to potty so frequently (at least it seemed more frequently). Also because the weather was warmer we were able to stop at a couple playgrounds, which may have added a bit of time too. Worth it though.

I assume by tomorrow, two full days home, we'll be back to normal, but I think we're both still dragging a little bit even today.

 

Part of the snowy drive in Texas en route to Oklahoma on Tuesday Feb. 11.