Sometimes, Daddy Knows Best

I knew I'd be making the long drive to Virginia Beach so we could celebrate Grace's first birthday with our families. The question was whether I was going to do it by myself or with someone to keep me company. I was adamant that I could do it by myself since I really didn't want to inconvenience anyone with having to come down to Jacksonville, only to make a ten hour plus trip back up. But Mike was nervous about his girls going all alone, so my brother, Carl, was given the task of keeping us company.

And thank goodness he did because as it turned out, there were a few little hiccups along the way where I was grateful to have some company.

We set out on Sunday morning, a few hours later than planned. Grace must have been super excited to be going to Virginia Beach again because she stubbornly refused to sleep the night before. It was nearly one in the morning and we were still locked in a battle of wills. Out of sheer desperation, I brought her into bed with me, and less than a minute later she was snoring away. Literally.

Needless to say, I decided getting a later start to the day, but feeling rested, was better than trying to drive tired. For some insurance though, Carl and I made a quick run to Starbucks for a jolt of caffeine. We were feeling optimistic and excited about the drive since the rain had stopped and the sun was finally peeking through the clouds.

Our next stop before getting on the highway was the gas station to fill up the tank. As we're crossing the parking lot to get to there, we get into a fender bender! Seriously! An elderly lady backing out of a parking space ran right into us. It was such a strange feeling- it happened so quickly, and slowly, both at the same time. Once I saw what was happening, I knew her car hitting Ruby was going to be inevitable, yet at the same time, I felt like time was going so slowly that I could almost prevent it.

Thank goodness there wasn't any damage at all to either of our cars. The sweet grandma was shaken up and very apologetic, but I was still kind of in shock at the whole situation that I couldn't even reassure her that it was okay. I'm so glad Carl was with me at the time. Had he not been there to talk to and laugh with about the whole thing, I would've probably headed straight home, unloaded the car, and started planning a birthday party for two, Grace and her mama, since surely that was a sign for me not to make the drive to Virginia Beach.

For a while, the trip went smoothly. Especially since Carl hooked up the DVD player Lola and Lolo gave Grace. I felt slightly guilty about letting her vegge on videos for countless hours, but it totally worked. If she wasn't sleeping, she was entranced with a Baby Einstein DVD. I promise I will only use the DVD player as a tool on long trips. It will still be a no-no otherwise.

We made it to Georgia without incident. We made it to South Carolina without incident. Then we hit North Carolina and the tire pressure warning light popped on. I pulled into the nearest gas station and Carl checks the tires. Another reason why I'm grateful he was there- I have no clue how to do this! Please don't judge, I know I should know how to do this, but I don't. The tires were fine. We drove on and the light goes off. Thirty minutes later, the light started blinking again. The manual said that if that happens, it could be a fault in the warning light, not the tire pressure itself. I prayed that this was the case and continued driving, but I was slightly nervous the entire time the light is on.

We made it the rest of the way without incident. I don't know what I would have done without Carl there to keep me company. He was my baby assistant and personal DJ who played all kinds of old school music to keep me alert. I hate to admit this, but sometimes, Daddy really does know what's best.

I'm so very happy to be among grandparents again. I'm sure Grace is happy to be with her favorite spoilers too since she got her first ice cream cone at lunch today. Her mean mama only let her have a few licks before the ice cream cone was mysteriously replaced by one without ice cream.