Mustang Mamma
Here is a list of some of the things I end up doing in my car, aka Mamma's Mustang. I do them in my car because I can't seem to get them done in my house for a variety of reasons. These are NOT things I do while driving:
*I put on my make-up. The light is better and the vanity mirror is closer than my bathroom mirror. The kids are secured in the back and not running around making last minute messes or putting on my make-up themselves. (This is ususally done in our driveway on the way to school, church, or work.)
*I make phone calls. Sometimes after an outing in the car, my toddler falls asleep. Since she will wake-up when I move her and my cell phone reception is best in my driveway, the car can make a great office from which to make appointments or check in with my husband, chat with my mom, or make plans with friends.
*I clip and clean up my kid's finger nails (and toenails, if exposed). Little kiddie clippings are easily ignored or vacumed out (I know to some this is very gross, but there are bugs crawling around that are bigger!)
*I style my kids' hair. A wiggly toddler cooperates better in the car seat! Even my nine-year old who hates to comb her hair manages to get it done in there (in her case, usually enroute).
*I file and polish my nails. I have hereditarily ugly nails and just feel better with a good coat of clear or pale polish on them. When I became a mom, I learned that I couldn't predict when I could paint my nails and not get them all smeared, even late at night. (I would inevitably fall asleep and end of with sheet marks.) So, since I have a 20-30 minute commute to work or church, I get them ready ahead of time and apply 2-three coats of polish when I'm ready to leave, carefully put the car into reverse, and by the time I'm at work, they're good to go.
*I knit. Whenever I'm early somewhere, I relish the minutes I can work on a project. My knitting is always with me, just in case. If the kids are with me, we just keep talking and my hands keep moving.
*I do my Devotions. When the weather is nice, I enjoy spending my lunchtime in my car. I can focus better in there than a lot of places. When my daughter was really little, I would take her sister to school, pick up some coffee, and park while she slept a little and I would do my devotions. Those days are over, but it was a nice little respite.
*My favorite thing to do at lunchtime in good weather is to knit and listen to talk radio or knit and read a good novel. I usually listen to Rush and I'm currently reading "The Kite Runner", although I rarely read fiction. It is a great book and my sweater is almost done.
*I have breastfed both babies in my car on many occasions...in parking lots when I can't find a nice woman's lounge, or on the road to my brother's graduation from Vanderbilt. I covered up with a nursing "cape" so I doubt that anyone but baby knew what I was doing!
*I used a breastpump in my car once or twice. Most of the time, I could do my pumping at work, but a couple times I had to be at a conference. So, I got a car adapter for the pump and one of those windshield covers. I donned my nursing cape and I doubt if anyone was the wiser.
***For the record: While I have done a lot of child care activities, I never did anything in my car to create a baby;)
*I put on my make-up. The light is better and the vanity mirror is closer than my bathroom mirror. The kids are secured in the back and not running around making last minute messes or putting on my make-up themselves. (This is ususally done in our driveway on the way to school, church, or work.)
*I make phone calls. Sometimes after an outing in the car, my toddler falls asleep. Since she will wake-up when I move her and my cell phone reception is best in my driveway, the car can make a great office from which to make appointments or check in with my husband, chat with my mom, or make plans with friends.
*I clip and clean up my kid's finger nails (and toenails, if exposed). Little kiddie clippings are easily ignored or vacumed out (I know to some this is very gross, but there are bugs crawling around that are bigger!)
*I style my kids' hair. A wiggly toddler cooperates better in the car seat! Even my nine-year old who hates to comb her hair manages to get it done in there (in her case, usually enroute).
*I file and polish my nails. I have hereditarily ugly nails and just feel better with a good coat of clear or pale polish on them. When I became a mom, I learned that I couldn't predict when I could paint my nails and not get them all smeared, even late at night. (I would inevitably fall asleep and end of with sheet marks.) So, since I have a 20-30 minute commute to work or church, I get them ready ahead of time and apply 2-three coats of polish when I'm ready to leave, carefully put the car into reverse, and by the time I'm at work, they're good to go.
*I knit. Whenever I'm early somewhere, I relish the minutes I can work on a project. My knitting is always with me, just in case. If the kids are with me, we just keep talking and my hands keep moving.
*I do my Devotions. When the weather is nice, I enjoy spending my lunchtime in my car. I can focus better in there than a lot of places. When my daughter was really little, I would take her sister to school, pick up some coffee, and park while she slept a little and I would do my devotions. Those days are over, but it was a nice little respite.
*My favorite thing to do at lunchtime in good weather is to knit and listen to talk radio or knit and read a good novel. I usually listen to Rush and I'm currently reading "The Kite Runner", although I rarely read fiction. It is a great book and my sweater is almost done.
*I have breastfed both babies in my car on many occasions...in parking lots when I can't find a nice woman's lounge, or on the road to my brother's graduation from Vanderbilt. I covered up with a nursing "cape" so I doubt that anyone but baby knew what I was doing!
*I used a breastpump in my car once or twice. Most of the time, I could do my pumping at work, but a couple times I had to be at a conference. So, I got a car adapter for the pump and one of those windshield covers. I donned my nursing cape and I doubt if anyone was the wiser.
***For the record: While I have done a lot of child care activities, I never did anything in my car to create a baby;)
posted by Susan at 1:35 PM
2 Comments:
Wow, you could have almost made a Thursday Thirteen meme out of your post. I laughed at the last part. Thanks for dropping by today. Our daughter is a librarian in New York.
This is fascinating. I'll bet you could have done a Thursday Thirteen for this topic!
Thanks for stopping by and making comments.
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