"Take a BIG bite!"

 

This was yesterday's lunch. I try not to worry about them sharing germs. Dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans' mouths, after all. Maybe by sharing her fork with Max, it will cause MG's mouth to get cleaner. Like brushing her teeth, only... gross.

I'll bet Aunt Kathy (not a dog person) is freaking right out! Ha...

Speaking of Aunt Kathy, I sent her an e-mail yesterday asking for help with organizing. Kathy's car is immaculate. Granted, her kids are grown now and in college, but it always has been immaculate. And she was like Mary Poppins with the diaper bag when they were little. Someone needed a Bandaid, and Kathy had one in the bag. Someone got stung by a bee? No problem, Kathy has baking soda and water to make a paste to take the sting out, and an epi-pen in case someone's unexpectedly allergic. Pirates attacking the park? No sweat, Kathy's got a cannon, a sword, and a tricorn hat in there, too.

I thought maybe I'd send an open plea to the internet for help with organizing. I do ok in the house (as well as I can with MG around, cleaning up after her is like trying to rake leaves during a tornado), but the car is a nightmare. I have to admit, I have always been a car pig. Keeping my car clean hasn't really ever been a priority, and you're as likely to find a 4 month old French fry under the seats as anything else... But it's getting stupid with all the kid gear. Stroller, backpack carrier, two slings, booster seat for restaurants, a bag full of diapers and books and extra wipes and a first aid kit, and portable food and an extra sippy cup that I call my "ready for anything bag" - that one stays in the car. Then there's another, smaller bag that I take in with us (which I re-fill from the RFA bag), it's pretty reasonable and organized. Then there's another bag with toys in it, because the toys in the RFA bag proved to be insufficient. And I have books stuck behind the seats, a bunch of extra blankets, a little make up case with extra outfits for both girls... The Red Cross isn't as prepared as I am.

Unfortunately, though, all of this preparation means that the back of my car looks like a disaster area. I'm probably going overboard in the preparations, but I figure that having things on hand is cheaper than replacing them when we realize we're out (and easier than dragging a toddler and a baby with dirty diapers or unexpectedly emergent teeth to the nearest 24 hour pharmacy). I have made it to V. (90 minutes from here) at least twice with no diapers in the car (how did THAT happen?) so it's not a bad idea to be like a Boy Scout in my preparedness, especially since we always have my car, because of the car seats...

But, damn. I don't want to spend the next 18 years with a car that looks like a rolling Romper Room. So, how did/do you keep your kid gear organized in your car. Or, did you just take a diaper and a wipe and let them "rough it" when you went out?