Mushy Brain

Hello again. It’s amazing how easy it is to slide back into the routine of domestic responsibility and the career world after being on vaca for 2 months. Just jump right in and join the rat race. Vaca is like a comfy pair of jeans with threadbare heels and a slouchy waistline while the working world is like running a marathon in stillettos. I went from trying to decide which new swimsuit to wear each day to herding 300+ intoxicated guests of a client at a 2-day event. I’m going from mushy brain to muscular brain again and I miss mushy brain. We all should get at least two months of the year off. It’s good for the spirit, the family and the marriage.

Upon approval from my various bosses for my sabbatical last June, I immediately began piecing together the adventurous weeks ahead. I imagined my son naked and frolicking on the sandy shores of the west coast, the chilly surf taming the cloudless, sunny days and strolling hand in hand on the boardwalk under the stars and the neon of the ferris wheel with the Hubs. The reality? The baby with the itchy, embedded sand in his crotch, eyes, hair and mouth. The chilly surf waiting to drag my son like a hungry alligator into its depths. The challenge of maintaining a level of sanity with the spouse in the wake of tantrums and fatigue, his and mine. Don’t get me wrong though. If I had known what I know now about what it’s like to travel great distances and over several time zones with a 22-month-old and a 40-year-old I’d still totally do it.

Our first day on the open road was nine hours long. This included stops for gas, calls from nature and parental time outs. The following is a list of the things I packed in the car for the tot…

-A small padded desk that attached to his carseat. Perfect for Play Doh, playing with monster trucks, and eating.

-DVD player. Yup, we bought one and I’m damn glad I did.

-TONS of small snacks and one of those Snack Trap cups.

-Surprise toys that have never been seen before.

-Soft cotton covers for the shoulder straps of the car seat.

-Jelly cat.

-Daddy’s iPod

Somehow, some way, all of these items were all that was needed to keep W entertained two straight months. The absolute favorite was, and still is, the Play Doh. We left a trail of neon colored chunks from here to Santa Cruz and back.