Yesterday, we took our first semi-long trip with Ervin. We celebrated T’s Grandma’s birthday in Hillsboro, a couple of hours away. Of course, I was a little nervous about it. Either we were going to get there really late because Ervin got hungry part way there and we would have to stop for a long time while he ate (he’s a slow eater), or we were not going to have to stop and we’d get there super early.

The latter happened, and we were about 45 minutes early, but for once, we weren’t the first ones there!

I was also nervous because at any given time, on any given trip, at least one of the big three will puke in the car (this I can only blame on myself, unfortunately. I grew up puking in the car. I’m not proud). On one trip to Hillsboro, back in October, Essie three up AT LEAST 6 times. I literally thought we would never make it there, and if we did, we would have to move there because I wasn’t getting back in that car. Since that trip, I haven’t gone anywhere without the kids unless I gave them Dramamine, and it’s a miracle drug, I swear. On this particular trip, I didn’t have any of the chewable kind, so I had to crush up the regular tablets and put it in their breakfast milk.

This is about half an hour into the car ride:

Heaven might be a quiet, puke-free road trip.

It was a beautiful, warm day and the party was at a park, so I hunkered down to feed the boy and the kids played.

The kids plum wore themselves out, but Essie was the only one that slept at all on the way home.

Here are T, his mom, and his grandma with the kids

We don’t see T’s parents much, and nobody else there had met Ervin yet, so he got a lot of attention.

 (Carisa, I know you probably won’t like this, but it’s just such a cute picture!)

The naked baby is a result of a diaper blow out. At least it was warm (the weather and the poop, I guess).

We got out of the sun and went for cake and ice cream at the church after lunch and playing. And somehow, the kids got a HUGE second wind that lasted for HOURS.

I don’t have any pictures of Henry because he and the other boys just ran. For hours. They were happy, sweaty messes.

On the drive home, I didn’t take any chances. I fed Ervin right before we left and we drove straight home. Normally we would have stopped for supper, but this time we didn’t and Ervin woke up about ten minutes before we made it back. Everybody ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at 8:00 pm.

All in all, I’d call it a success!