A Peek Into the Life of a Mommy Blogger: How to Take a Road Trip With a Toddler for Labor Day Weekend

I actually should have entitled this, "How to NOT take a Road Trip with a Toddler", but I didn't want to confess my ineptitude in the title.

Last night we took a road trip from Pittsburgh to our nation's capital, Washington, DC. I guess that I was inspired by my post yesterday where I referenced Michelle Obama's workout regimen. I wanted to catch a glimpse of FLOTUS! Actually, I'm pretty sure that she is already in Charlotte for the "Democratic National Convention". So, I'll have to be content to just visit her city.

The ride from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC used to take me a little under 4 hours when I was single. Now, I am traveling on "Toddler Time" and this trip went a little differently.

It took us about six hours to make the trip. We had to stop for gas. When we stopped we had to let the toddler run around in the convenience store. If you haven't been in one lately convenience stores aren't necessarily equipped for toddlers. They have their snacks and candy low. This one also had windshield washer fluid, oil and gas treatment fluid on the ground and those were what the toddler was attracted to most.

Her attraction to all things dangerous and my risk averse nature were at odds. Then the toddler and were at odds right there in the store. And probably just to spite me, she laid down on the floor. Who knows if that floor had ever been mopped?!

After leaving the convenience store we drove some more. At times the ride was peaceful. At other times  it was more chaotic. That's when we started playing cartoon movies on the iPad. God bless Apple. They bought us thirty minutes of continuous  silence. Then, I gave her our iPod touch to play with.  That bought us another 20 minutes.  Then, I had to rely on snacks and a series of other electronics and my own witty personality. The toddler was not consistently amused. Finally when we had reached our limits it was time for dinner.

Dinner in this case meant Hardee's in Breezewood, Pa.. Yes, I fed my kid fast food. Don't judge me. Our options were limited on the road. I would have been content to go to the drive through window, but the toddler had to run around and she needed her diaper changed.

The trip was a series of starts and stops. And after getting lost But finally at around midnight we arrived at the River Inn in DC.  We were tired and frustrated. But all of a sudden the toddler got a burst of energy and it was party time!

More details later!