A Bigger Car?

We are going on a trip.

Today, after work, we will be off to see my family in New Jersey. My grandma is coming down from New York and my parents are coming up from Virginia. So, the whole family will be there. This will be the first time that my grandma and my uncle have seen Chloe. I'm excited to have them meet her. I think this is a good time, since she is becoming such a little person now. She smiles, giggles, coos, and is even starting to hold her head up. I think my parents will be surprised at how big she's gotten. It's sort of hard to tell, when you are around her everyday.

Last weekend, the power went out in our building. We decided that it was a perfect reason to go to the Great Lakes Science Center. We had been wanting to go for a while and it's not too long now before we will leave for Detroit. The museum was really nice. Lots of buttons to push and gizmos to play with. And I think Chloe really enjoyed herself too. She seemed really into all the new sights and sounds. Anyway, a mother was there with her newborn baby. Garth and I agreed that it was hard to imagine that Chloe was ever that small...and she's not even 3 months old yet!

We have Chloe's newborn hospital photo framed in her room. Garth keeps on saying that if you didn't already know it, you'd never guess that Chloe is the same baby in the photo. Her features have changed so much. Everyone thinks she looks like Garth. Apparently, she has his head shape. But several people have told us that Garth & I look alike (Garth even thinks that I look like his sister). A lady at our parenting class told Garth that Chloe has my eyes. I don't know how she figures that, since Garth & I both have blue eyes.

Anyway, back to the trip...

We had to pack so much! Garth & I put all of our stuff in one shared suitcase and a backpack. CHloe has her own suitcase. Plus we had to take 2 diaper bags (one for all the formula), the Pack 'N Play, her stroller (thank goodness that I bought the SnugRider stroller frame, because the stroller that came with the travel system would never have fit), a huge jug of water (our doctor said that it was safer to bring our own water, since Chloe might have stomach problems with another city's water), and 2 packs of diapers. We even brought the nebulizer, just in case. I was doubtful that it was going to fit in our car...and we have a small SUV. But Garth just called and told me that he fit everything in the car. He is adamant about not having anything on the back seat that could become airborn and harm Chloe, in the event of an accident. Thankfully, he squeezed everything in the trunk.

So, we will soon be off on our first long car ride with Chloe.