December Days Inside with Only One Car

One-Car Family

Jer’s car broke at the worst time possible when we have neither the time nor funds to have it looked at, so we unexpectedly became a one-car family and it’s been a bit of an adjustment. On days that I would like the car, the kids and I drop Daddy off at work early in the morning and come back to pick him up late after wrestling events. The most intense part of the season so far has been the overnight tournaments when he’s traveling. We missed each other so much we decided to have family breakfast together at a gas station before saying goodbye, and it softened the separation.

Having one car and little children has definitely made me more conscious of trips I take and has helped me to be okay with asking for help. I relied on help from friends and family when I got a call from L’s school and couldn’t come. I also relied on the kindness of friends when an away tournament ran very late and instead of waking the kids up at 12:30am to pick Daddy up, someone brought him home. I’ve had to cut down on my errands and simplify shopping or appointments as much as possible. It’s helped me to become a more efficient person, but it can also be a little stressful when there’s not much flexibility or options if you don’t have the car.

Indoor Activities

The 20 degree weather has set in, so we’ve been trying some indoor activities for the kids. The library remains our refuge during odd hours when the least amount of people might be there. They’ve recently switched out all the old wooden and pipe blocks with these new magnetic ones that the kids are entranced by. Some have wheels, some have cutouts to look like windows or doors, and others are rectangular or triangular with all sides being magnetic so they can even be made into irregular or 3D shapes!

Pretty sure there’s a new favorite movie every week. This week it is Frozen. Last week it was Cars. It seems Baby brother likes to join in on the fun, too!

This baby has been a source of joy for us and is a natural entertainer. His jumparoo toy has him bouncing all over the place, and he loves being included in our movie time and meals.

Damage Control

Not going to lie, this cutie has been a handful lately being stuck indoors. We’ve decided he must be ready to potty train after the Poo incident. Rather than finishing up Christmas stuff and doing chores I’ve been cleaning up after him and being very attentive to his needs because it seems if I look away or turn my back I return to a disaster and immediately regret having turned my back.

Imagine carrying the baby around and stepping in something wet. “Why is it wet right here?” Then you look down and see a trail of blood and this kid:

He was sensible enough to try to wipe his nose when it started bleeding. Hey, at least it wasn’t poo! (That’s how I made myself feel better from all the additional scrubbing, carpet cleaning, and stain removing anyway.)

Merry Christmas!