Divide and conquer- a parenting campaign strategy

No, it wasn't our Ohio/Texas primary election strategy, but Mr. Wonderful and I did try a little two state parenting experiment last weekend. He stayed at home with the Mayor of Radiator Springs while I took the Maxcavator down to my parents' home.

Mac n cheese, airport excavators, and a two-hour delay. What a great way to spend a day.

It was brilliant and wonderful for all parties involved. Max is a great travel companion and leaves nothing to sublety. His enthusiasm is boundless, and he finds joy in everything.

Everything.

"Oh, is the Skeerity line next? Oh, Mommy, I LOVE GOING THROUGH SKEERITY!!" Emphasized by jumping up and down with his Scooby Doo backpack slamming down on his tiny shoulders.

Um, did someone from TSA just hear that? Because I'm pretty sure this preschooler could do a better job with program management than you people, but I digress.

Traveling with Max requires an adjustment in perspective. Take, for example, Airport Security. If you look at it from the perspective of a four year old boy, things that suck can really be fun if you try hard enough. For example, the security line, a huge hassle. But those retractable barriers that hold us in place? How fun are they to unhook, snap back, and then watch the immediate reaction of everyone around you.

And all those big plastic bins stacked up neatly at the skeerity line, just waiting for you to TOUCH them. PICK THEM UP. Begging, I tell you, for you to use. In multiples. And then you get to take your shoes off, pull the snacks, tylenol, hand sanitizer and all the other mommy-sanity-savers out of your bag and show them to the totally bored and disinterested TSA employee whom you've just introduced to your stuffed animal who will now disappear through x-ray. And the conveyor belt! It's pure joy. Pure cause and effect joy. And nothing delights a boy more than turning the corner and finding all of his things waiting for him in those same bins! Waiting to be dumped out! Ah! This is great!


Even the Emergency Procedures for a Boeing 737-700 are interesting to kids. Just ask Max to tell you what's going on in these pictures. For example, I never knew that lava might enter the cabin, but now I will know what to do if it ever does happen.

"Mommy, look at that JET! I LOVE that JET!" or "Mmmm, this MILK is DELICIOUS!" Remembering that everything at the airport tastes better when drunk from a straw and a cup with a green siren on it, I know of which he speaks.


And truly, there is no place more relaxing than my childhood home. My mom baked special treats, both of my parents cooked wonderful meals, and they even had the kindness to order a brand new comfy couch perfect for me to snuggle on. With a very soft cozy blankie, too. We watched "Once" on their new tv and I then I slept. Through the night. And no one yelled "CARS!" at me at 5 a.m. It was heavenly.


Sunshine! Fruit Trees! Bubbi Sky! Oh My!


And how did the littlest Nascar fan do at home without moi? Just fine. Absolutely great. And Mr. Wonderful was pretty fantabulous, too. They built super tall towers, played outside for hours, grilled steak, and took baths together.

And the sleeping? Oh, you know the daddy whisperer solved all problems. Sammy slept through the night until after 6:30 a.m. and hasn't stopped yet. As Mr. Wonderful told me, "I fixed him. Now don't you go and break him."

The only downside of my separation from my youngest is that now it's ALL about Daddy. "Daddy, daddy, daddy." This morning Sam had the pretend pink phone to his ear and this was what the conversation went like...

"Vrrooom, vrooom. Cars. Daddy. Cars. Dump dump. vrooom. daddy. cars. bye bye." And then he waved and put the phone down. Oh, he loves his daddy.

And so do I.