Croc Dusting

We're visiting my parent's farm this week. Tonight, as I read Ava her bedtime story I heard the sound of a crop duster out in the cornfield. I knew Ava would love to watch. I laid out a deal, "If mommy takes you outside to see something special, do you promise to go right to sleep when we come back in?" I carried her outside and we watched the little yellow plane diving, careening, and swooping over the cornfield. Like a ballet almost, only to the tune of a plane engine and with chemicals. Ahhh. Anyway.... as usual, Ava had lots of questions. I explained to her that the airplane was crop dusting. I explained about pesticides and the "bugs". We enjoyed the show in silence for a few minutes and then we turned to head inside. "But Mom," she asked "Why is he dusting the crocs? Are they out there in the field with the corn?"

Can't you just see all different colors of that popular footwear lined up in the rows between the corn? I had to laugh.

How do YOU deal?

Saturday morning began with a flat tire, a traffic jam just outside of Knoxville, and an unhappy 3 year old and 5 month old in the backseat. Being the only adult in the car, it's not like I could climb over the seat and entertain them. It wasn't the worst trip ever, but by 5 pm we were only an hour and a half from Grandma Pammy and Papa Nick's house and I was getting pretty anxious for the trip to be finished. Emily started screaming. So I pulled over at a Starbuck's, changed a diaper, took Ava to the bathroom, got a coffee for me and a snack for Ava and fed Emily. "There," I thought. "They should be set until we get there" Ava put on her headphones and was happily watching Aladdin. I felt good as the mini van cruised off the ramp and back onto the interstate. And then the screaming started from the backseat. Emily was not tired, not hungry, not dirty, and most of all, not happy. She was SO over the road trip. Attempts to distract her were in vain. An hour and a half more. Just 90 minutes. I'm almost there. Do I pull over and just postpone the crying or keep on heading to the promised land? Finally I grabbed for my iPod, shoved those great little marshmallow earphones that block out all sound into my ears, scrolled to the play list I appropriately titled "CHILL" and cruised into Indy, sipping my Starbucks and watching Miss Emily's red little face in the rear view.