Road Trip Activities for Toddlers

So, we are planning a 9 day cross country trip from NC to CA with myself, my husband, and my two little girls who are 1yr and 2yrs old. Sounds fun, right? Thankfully, the girls are good little travelers and I have planed the trip with lots of activities and stops that should entertain the babes.   I have confidence that it will go well. But, you never can be TOO prepared, right? Right? RIGHT? Right. 

So, I decided to start the search for good road trip activities. I realized that most things I found were not really geared towards the early-toddler aged kids (maybe because we are the only crazy parents willing to try a road trip with this young of kids). 

Anyway, I compiled some of my favorite ideas along with some of my own. They are super easy to make! They do take a little bit of time, but not much. Maybe two evenings sitting in front of the TV drinking wine...yeah, that should be enough time. :)

Here it is:

-The Box I originally started storing everything in an accordion folder. That didn't work out all that well because it was a bit to small (even though it was one of those monster folders!). So, my husband made a Wal*Mart run and bought me this. He is estimating that it cost him about $20...maybe $25.

-Supplies I filled the top with Crayons, Sticky Notes, a Sharpie, a whiteboard marker (white board inside) and Kleenex to wipe the board off...after all, who likes using their hands? All that blank gunk? Yuck.

-File Folders Inside, I used filing folders which I already had. I used sticky notes to create "Tabs"

-Flash Cards These are leap frog flash cards. They are the kind that you can use with the little green dog (whats his name? Scout? That's it)  I didn't want to bring the dog, it takes up to much space. So we just brought the flash cards.

-ABC/123 These are foam letters that I made. You can buy adhesive, pre-cut letters at Wal*Mart (or any craft store). I took the letters and stuck them to a piece of flat black foam board and cut around them. Then, I took adhesive magnets strips, cut them to size, and stuck them to the back. Voila! (The metal cookware is from the Dollar Tree)

-Pipe Cleaners from the Dollar Store. I don't recommend cutting them at all. The little wires poke out. Not good for the little ones.

-Books Books I already had. Little ones with pretty colors and fun pictures.

-Stickers These are stickers from the Dollar Tree. We kind of went all out and a little crazy, but oh well. I stuck them to foam board of various colors, cut them out, and stuck a magnet to the back. I separated sticker sets so I could keep the variety and not overwhelm the little ones with too many themes at once.

-String Shapes I cut of these shapes from foam board and used a single hole-punch to punch holes all around the shape. We got shoe string at the Dollar Tree, but John got excited when he saw the colorful fuzzy string and thought it may be more interesting for the girls to use as opposed to shoe string.

-Popsicle Sticks We got these colorful popsicle sticks at the Dollar Tree. Again- stuck on magnets and Voila!

-Fishing These were a bit of an adventure to make! We were limited on supplies since the packers are in the middle of boxing our stuff. I cute out these little fishies from foam board and labeled them 1-10 (not necessary, of course...but how much of this post is ACTUALLY necessary?!) Then, I found a straw in our bare cupboards, used some left over 550 cord (string will work fine, I just didn't have much available). I strung the string through the straw and tied a knot at the end to keep it in place. On the other end, I used Krazy Glue to glue the cord to a larger magnet. Each fish has small metal clips on them (my husband bought them at Wal*Mart, I think they were in the jewelry making section). I learned that you cannot use a magnet for the fish because they will stick to the pan and the game will be pointless. Sounds obvious, I know, but I still tried it.

-Balloons and Buggies Dollar Tree goodies. Little Balloon something-or-others. John got them. I wouldn't recommend them for toddlers because the solution is toxic. But, adult supervised would be fine. And we also have puff balls! Adrianna calls these "buggies".

-Coloring White board and coloring book.

-Necklaces The girls love these. We used to have some purple ones that they wouldn't go anywhere without.

-Glow Sticks These are the best! Got these from the Dollar Tree also! We cleared the rack. The girls call these "glows" and they adore them! Plenty for the trip.

Behind the Glass

As I have done probably hundreds of times, I went in to shower and brought the girls with me. I set them on the floor where I could supervise them throughout the duration of my shower. I made this one quick, but when I shut of the water, I decided not to come out. I leaned my back up against the glass and slid down. There I sat. I pressed my face up against the glass and just sat there. There they were. Babies under the age of 2. Playing with the toys I had set out for them, slapping their hands against the tub and toilet, climbing on top of the toilet and climbing in and out of the bath tub. They took equal turns coming to visit me. They pressed their faces up to mine and slapped the glass next to me. I stayed put. They couldn't get me. In that moment, I couldn't decide who was the animal in the glass cage... Me? Or them?

I stayed.

It wasn't until the girls started playing peek-a-book with my robe, which was looped on a precariously hung hook on the back on my door, that I beckoned the girls to calm down.

Adrianna immediately came over to the glass where I sat, opened her arms wide and hugged as much of the glass as she could as she cooed, "awwww..."

I got out.

My TravelBlog

As requested, this will not be a post about my recent trip to Hawaii. It will not be about meeting the Turtle Guardian's up on the North Shore. It won't be about how it is actually not possible to drive all the way around the island. It will not be about the Stairway to Heaven (Haiku Stairs) or the Sugar Mill ruins or the Boys Convalescent Home. It will not be about binge drinking or laying on the beach. It will not be about how amusing "Beetroot" sounds in the Queen's English.

This is about getting into uniform vs. getting dressed at all. Celebrating a job well done vs. celebrating the ABC's. Listening to the Top 40 vs. listening to Pandora's Toddler Radio. Coming and going vs. diaper bags and strollers. Being appreciated for a job well done vs. a thankless job well done.

For the last two weeks (give or take) I got to be, as my dad so nicely put it, a professional. I suppose that is true. I did put on a uniform and report for duty day after day after day. I got to leave work every night with no responsibility except that I had to show up on time the next morning. That's not incredibly difficult. As much as I missed the little ones and as much as I missed John, I really enjoyed going to work. I enjoyed socialising and learning. It was mentally stimulating; something I have been missing for a couple years now.

I have always been the "career" type. I thrive off achievement and possibly even off over-achievement. I thrive off of perfect. Every. Thing. I. Do. Must. Be. PERECT. I have worked hard to get perfect grades. I got my degree in 4 years while working for Uncle Sam full time. I networked, I learned, I trained. I set myself up for perfect success. To what? Stay at home?

What an argument to make. John, on the other hand, would do anything for me to stay at home all day everyday doing a thankless job that isn't and can NEVER be perfect (which is actually kind of depressing for me since this is the ONLY thing I do day in and day out). Not that he doesn't support my goals, he does. Its just that he likes to have me home. Fair enough. I clean. I do laundry. I care for the kids. And if he's lucky, I'll cook. And if I'm lucky, he'll eat it!

How selfish is all of this? Or is it? I worked hard for a reason. And I honestly didn't work hard to stay at home and let my mind waste away. Sure, I could read lots and lots of books. But I don't even think I could do that! Who can read constantly interrupted with Toddler Radio and chattering or whining babies in the background? I am hoping that working (which I will most certainly consider "me time") will be a big help. Maybe it will bring me that satisfaction of achievement so that I am not so worried about whether the dishes are on the left or right side of the sink. I will have reached my personal achievement for the day and I will savour and cherish every minute with the family. instead of getting angry with everyone for undoing everything I have done for the day...that would be ideal.

I am essentially just confused about what I want to do. And, hopefully, when we get to Hawaii, I will be able to figure it out. If I can work the same hours as John I won't be taking away time from him. The girls would be in CDC which, from my tour, is a pretty structured environment. We'd have a little more saving money. And I would get the satisfaction of achieving SOMETHING on a daily basis. Learning SOMETHING on a daily basis. Getting out of the house...etc...all the benefits. So, when we get where we're going, I will give it a shot. And maybe I will fail miserably. And if its too difficult to be without babies 24/7, I will stop working. It really is as simple as that.

I have lived my life as a problem solver. Always making sure that if one door closes I have about 80 more that I can go through. I have tried to balance everything so that I have to make minimal sacrifices and still have it all...that is what I intend on doing...however I do it.

I am a mother. I am a wife...but I am still ME. And its time for me to recognize this and do something about it.

How to be me..? Right.

So, I was sitting down writing a "guidebook" for the girls (+dog) and the house. I am going out of town  for a couple weeks and we flew my wonderful and lovely mother out to care for the kiddos, the house, and (I suppose) to feed my husband ;) . After I finished writing, I thought it was rather interesting how easy it was to write down all the little details about the average day. Thought it might make for an interesting blog post...not to mention I am watching Adrianna purposely fling herself off the couch, crashing onto the ground, and laughing hysterically. Or maybe she is doing that weird laugh where she should probably be crying but instead she is laughing like she is clinically insane..This started a couple days ago and, to be honest, it kind of freaks me out.

Anyway...the day (and a couple funny videos). Sidebar: I kind of think that telling someone else how to care for your children is like asking your mother how she makes "that one dish". Mom does her best to write down every important detail..but there is something about a mother's touch...Lets be honest though, after reading the directions, it doesn't sound that hard, does it?

Poppy

Food: Fill bowl in the morning. That should last all day.

Water: Normally I fill it fresh every morning

Crate: Fully crate trained. Feel free to put her in her crate for any reason. I have had her in there for about 8 hrs (other than sleep) if I am out of the house.

Bathroom: First thing in the morning, two more times during the day, and right before bed. I just let her out and, ALMOST always, she will come back to the door within 5 min or less. In the mornings, I will usually let her out before I get the girls. I will get the girls changed and dressed and then let Poppy back in the house to eat.



Rebecca

Food: 8oz 3x a day (usually first thing in the morning, after her morning nap, and around 6pm). 1-2 jars of food a day. Feed whenever. She can eat fruits through her “fruit mesh feeder” and some are soft enough to eat without it. She will also gnaw on soft veggies or bread.

Drink: She can have water or VERY watered down juice

Sleep: Wakes up between 0730-0830. Goes down for a nap between 1030-1130 and sleeps for a couple hours and down at about 1600 for another nap. She goes to bed between  1930-2000

Bathroom: She doesn’t poop every day. She wears “nighttime diapers” (in the closet) for overnight (heavy wetter)

Hygiene: Bathe every day or every other. Clean ears often (she gets lots of wax) and brush teeth. It is MUCH easier to bathe her in the sink. She has a lot of trouble with water going over her face and head and she thinks she is choking. So I find it easier when I can control the strength of the stream.

Behavior Notes: She has been having trouble falling asleep so I have been giving her some cuddle time before I put her down. I think she might be teething. She loves her jumper. Also, if she is upset, the dog usually makes her happy right away.



Adrianna                                                                                                                                    

Food: Eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sometimes she skips lunch because of a nap so I just give her a snack before dinner.

Drink: Milk for breakfast and juice/water throughout the day.

Sleep: Wakes between 0830-0930 and naps at the same times as Rebecca. Naps are not required, but they are suggested.

Bathroom: She poops at least once a day and is learning to notify when she is about to or is going poop. Take her to the potty seat if you want to!

Hygiene: Bath daily or every other. She LOVES to brush her teeth throughout the day. She also loves to clean her ears. She likes to bathe in the sink, too. But it really doesn’t matter. Whatever is easier for you.

Behavior Notes: Pacifier is only if she is lying down or going to sleep. She sits in a normal chair and should ask permission to be excused before she gets up. She likes to ask for a napkin and will clean her hands, face, and table. If you are cooking or prepping, she shouldn’t be in the kitchen. She can normally clean up after herself and can clean up her own room (more or less). If you tell her something is “rubbish” she will throw it away. She will also put dishes in the sink. Sometimes she gets confused between the sink and the trash, so keep an eye out for things in that trash that shouldn’t be there. She will probably follow you everywhere and shut all the doors in the house. I have little kid movies you can put on for her if you want to. She doesn’t like veggies but she will eat the mixed veggie baby food that I give Rebecca. She will eat green beans, corn, and sometimes broccoli and cauliflower. She LOVES: fruit, eggs, goldfish, string-cheese, milk, juice, raspberries, blueberries, popcorn, and toast.



The House

Will be clean upon your arrival

Trash goes out on Tuesdays

Turn AC off if unneeded