Our most recent drive to Minnesota was probably our best drive. And before that we had not made the trip since last December. Both times I kept a journal of sorts since we always get asked how the drive went.
This trip I kept track of how many times William said, "Excuse me, Mom...." The total was 31 times. On a 23 hour drive that might not seem like much. But he slept for at least 10 hours. So, in 13 hours he said it 31 times, this makes an average of 2.4 times an hour, once every 25 minutes. Of course, also considering at times he would quietly look out the window or read a book, there were times when he said it 3-4 times in a 5 minute span. Usually he had a question or comment attached to it, but there were times when he had to think of something to say after he said, "excuse me, Momma.....", "Yes, William," ... "Um, Ah, Um, that car is red." "Yes, it's red," Sigh.
The previous trip went like this:
5 AM - woke William up. He said, "oh no my cars, where are my cars, my cars" .... as he was waking up. Then I told him we were going to Minnesota and he asked, "Will my Christmas presents be there?"
5:15 - left the house. W specifically made sure we were turning left out of the driveway toward the direction we always point to when we tell him where MN is.
5:20 - W asked if we were in MN yet. Jon told him no, first we had to go through tunnels, over the mountain, and through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
5:25 - W saw a Santa by a house and again asked if we were in MN. And asked, "will my presents be under my tree in MN?"
5:30 - Saw a star on a house, W said, "A star, just like the wise men saw. The star surprised them, just like in my verse, Jesus Christ the Lord, and the angels talked to them." Meanwhile Callie was quietly sucking her thumb and holding her bear with her blanket over her head.
5:35 - W noticed the stars in the sky and sang Twinkle Twinkle to them.
5:38 - W Dropped his pillow and bear and got them back.
5:41 - Caught W chewing on something, asked what it was ... it was "my snot" as he put it.
5:42 - Gave W a flashlight to play with, that lasted 5 minutes
5:47 - W wanted a drink of water
5:50 - Back to playing with the flashlight
5:53 - Tunnel #1 under the Tuscarora Mountains. W grined and said "ahh" at all the lights
5:55 - The song God of Wonders came on the radio and W recognized it from a DVD we have, "Just like the hippopotamous" he said, which is what he calls that DVD
5:59 - Caught W picking his nose again
6:01 - W decided to take attendance. "Mom, are you here?", "Daddy Selin, are you here?"
6:03 - flashlight died
6:04 - W took attendance again
6:08 - Callie whined, W said, "Callie be patient, Mom, will you tell her to be quiet?"
6:09 - W asked what was in a truck we passed, I told him "stuff"
6:15 - Going up a big hill W said, " I think we're gonna make it" because he knows it's a mountain, like the Little Engine That Could went over.
6:18 - W pointed out the lights he saw in the distance, it's Breezewood.
6:25 - breakfast
6:28 - W asked for the flashlight which is charging
6:29 - W asked what another truck is hauling. I told him I don't know and he said, "It's hauling to another construction site. Hauling for the crane"
6:55 - Tunnel #2, the Allegheny tunnel. W again loved it.
7:13 - W made a cirlce with his cheerios on the pillow in his lap
7:30 - Leap Pad
8:00 - bathroom break and more Leap Pad
8:30 - W played with cars, tummy not feeling too well
8:35 - W complained about tummy again
8:40 - Tummy complaints again
9:00 - books on tape
9:15 - W wanted the flashlight again and asked me to tell Callie to stop yelling
9:30 - read books quietly then stole Callie's blanket, bear, cup and spoon
9:45 - caught W chewing on a plastic alligator
10:15 - bathroom break
10:30 - W chewing on bus wheels
10:45 - W chewing on bear
10:47 - W chewing on seat belt and fakes crying after being scolded
10:50 - lunch (finally realized the boy must be hungry)
11:30 - Leap pad
12:40 - W touched shiny wrapping paper in the back of the jeep and asks if it's for Santa? for Jesus?
12:43 - W cried because Jon made him stop playing with the wrapping paper
12:45 - gave W a surprise/new toy airplane and he was quiet and played with that for a long time!
1:30 - bathroom break
1:45 - snack and still playing with the airplane
2:00 - W stole Callie's cup and I took away his airplane for 2 minutes
2:30 - peek-a-boo with Callie and W and me
2:48 - W asked for "Curious George on the radio" ... book on tape
3:30 - W chewed a wheel off the airplane
4:00 - Chicago....2 firetrucks and lots of trains
5:00 - supper
5:30 - bathroom break
6:15 - another bathroom break....but this one was a W false alarm
6:25 - Callie almost asleep, W trying to sleep
6:27 - W up again and another attempt at the bathroom with again no success
6:38 - on the road again after a detour to find a bathroom, W reading in the dark
8:00 - both kids sleep
10:00 - arrive in "Minnesconsin"
During all this Callie played with her cups and spoons and bear and sucked her thumb and occassionally made some noise, but was not near as active as William since she was only 20 months at the time. She mostly just watched him do whatever he was doing. She does not do this now. She lets her needs be known now!
then a few gifts.
William even braved the slide!! After the first time down he was hooked!
This is her version of ski ball.
We joined the Pisle (and extended family) for the Christmas Parade downtown. It was a chilli 25 degrees, but we bundled up and the kids enjoyed the parade.
The next evening we got our tree out. We have not set up a tree in this house ever. We haven't had our own tree for the last three years. We decided this year we would set up our tree. William helped put it together. Then he and Jon enjoyed checking out the lights.
And Sunday....yard work!! The kids had a blast helping Grandpa Bob mow up the leaves. He even let them steer even though they went every direction all over the yard.
