We're getting ready for our first family vacation as a family of four...

And I'm trying to work out the logistics on how to fit all of us and everything we'll need for a week on the Cape in one VW Passat Wagon. A couple of years ago, when we made this same trip as a family of three, the car was packed to the gills. I even remember looking at my husband and asking him if we'd be able to fit Little Bitty in there too. However, that year, we not only brought everything we'd need, but my husband also brought his beloved golf clubs. Kindly, he's already made mention of the fact that he didn't think the golf clubs would make the trip this year. I'm pretty happy about that for a couple of reasons. First, it's one less thing I have to try to fit in the car. Second, (and this is pretty selfish) why should he get to go golfing while we're on vacation when I'm a golf widow pretty much every weekend from about March to when the ground is too snow covered to be able to find your ball.

So on to my task. How do I fit enough clothes for four people (hot/cold weather clothes since you never know what you'll get on the Cape), a double jogging stroller, a Pack N Play, two bags of toys, books, videos, towels, sheets, bed rails, beach umbrella, and a bunch of other little things in or on one car. I don't have the answer to this yet, but check back for my update. I may even show you a picture or two of the packed car!

Why?

That's right, my Little Bitty has started asking, "Why?" to EVERYTHING. Sweet Jesus, I don't know how long this is expected to last and I don't know how I'll get through the question for the 3,679th time tomorrow. I thought I had a good strategy. We were talking about something and LB asked me, "Why is Mallie (her lambie blankie) white?" So, I reply with, "Because she's not black." LB: "Why?" Me: "When she was manufactured, they didn't add dye to the fibers, so she stayed white. Generally fabric that is white isn't colored."

I thought for sure she'd move on to something else. Sure enough, I get: "Why?" Good grief. Where do I go from here? So I end with, "She just is, LB. She just is." Of course, "Why?" went on for another 1/2 hour or so.

Today I thought I had another solution to the question "why?" I replied, "Why do you ask?" LB tilts her head, looks at me with a puzzled look and repeats what she's asking and wants to know why. I realize that she must have thought I said, "What did you ask?"

The only two things that have been EASY so far with Little Bitty...

1.) Switching her to her "Big Girl" bed; and

2.) Potty Training



Had I known that Potty Training would have been so easy, I think I would have tried to start earlier.

Finally, I feel like I can handle anything...

I am not exactly sure when the change happened, but I realized the other day as I took both girls shopping to Target AND to Marshall's after picking them up from daycare, that I can handle being a mom to two little girls. (Little Bitty will be three in October, and Little Mama will be one in August.) What I realized is this, among all the chaos going out anywhere with two used to be - I got better at it. I was actually doing this and able to shop for a few necessities as well!

It used to be that no matter how much I planned for a trip out with just the three of us - something always went wrong and I didn't have the correct "provisions" with me to fix the issue. However, now I can get ready and grab everything I need within 15 minutes and head out the door. If someone told me that it would get these easy - I would never have believed them.

Our shopping trips usually consist of a "prize" for Little Bitty. I have no issues with bribes/prizes as long as she doesn't start asking for diamonds, a porshe, etc. If she can keep it to things that are less than $5 - we'll be fine.

A Lesson In Sharing: Courtesy of Little Bitty

This conversation actually took place on January 10, 2008 when Little Bitty was 27 months old.

Last night Little Bitty and are were playing with her Little People Farm House. This is the conversation:

Mommy: "Which animal can I be?"

LB: "You can be the cow."

We start playing and a minute later...

LB takes the cow back and points to all the animals and says, "I'm going to be all of these."

Mommy: "Why don't you want to share with mommy?"

LB: "I'm going to share with me."

And there you have it. A lesson in sharing from a two year old. Who can argue with this logic?