Days that make you remember the harder days

We spend A LOT more time shuttling the kids around in the car than we ever have.

I used to walk the kids to school 4 days a week in the stroller.  I only braved the car ride to school (a mere 5 blocks) in the heaviest of rain fall.  We didn't attend nearly as many play dates as I would have liked because they required a car ride.  For all the good car seats do, I long so much for the days when you could just tell all the kids to pile into the back of the station wagon and the biggest thing you were worried about was the sibling squabbling.  The seats and buckles and straps, times 3, are often too much for me. Add the fact that Lailah screams bloody murder any time you put her in a car seat and then only ups the volume of her shrieks when you strap her in and it is no wonder we don't load up the car too often.

Yesterday, I took one last sip of coffee, took a deep breath and prepared myself for the paint that is getting 3 kids out of the house.  As is often the case, we were running a few minutes behind.  I ordered the kids onto the porch to put shoes on.  Before I made it onto the porch myself, all the 3 kids were sitting down putting on their shoes.  I opened the car door and Mal slipped right into his seat, followed very closely by Lailah and then Tegan.  By the time I had Mal buckled in, Lailah had herself 75% strapped into her seat and Tegan was patiently waiting for me to get her buckled in.

I hopped into my seat, glanced at the clock and we were right on time.  I didn't have to repeat myself 10 times to get shoes on.  I didn't have to pull someone out of the front seat of the car and forcefully put them in their seat and I did not once count 1...2...  It was miraculous.

Then it hit me. I remembered how much Lailah used to cry in the car.  I had actually forgotten how much she hated the car.  I am not sure how I could have forgotten that.  She screamed so loudly and so often.  She doesn't anymore. (in the car at least)  It's been so long that I actually forgot it was the norm.

I have no illusions that it is going to be this easy going forward.  This morning for example, we were back to the current norm.  I had to ask Mal to put his shoes on no fewer than 10 times, and Lailah and Tegan fought about who was going to sit where, but at least the car does not strike fear into my heart.

It was also a reminder to me that I should blog again.  I don't want to forget stuff.  Even if it is my screaming children.  Also, I miss walking the kids to school every day ...but of course Lailah now hates the stroller. ;)