The Dawn of a New Era

When we found out we were expecting baby number 3 this year, the first real hurdle that sprang to mind -after the sheer initial crazy excitement/panic subsided - was the car situation. Three kids were never all going to fit in either one of our family cars! We'd have to caravan both vehicles everywhere on family trips!

It might not seem like a big deal to everyone else, but in considering trying for another baby, that had been our only real negating factor! Kind of silly really, when you consider all the other factors that go in to rising a wee one. Still there it was. Anyway, who'd have thunk the issue would be brought to a head so soon? Apparently it only takes one time to get pregnant ( but that's a whole other story).....  

So there we were, with a partially paid off Lexus (thank you Daniel's Auntie for providing that particularly sweet ride), which could only seat two bairns in the back, and a salvaged Honda Element, which, unfortunately, had been the biggest monkey on our backs since we'd bought the lemon 3 years ago. It, also, could only seat two bairns in the back.

Deciding which to sell was a bit of an enigma really; the Lexus would be a great Trade-in for a nifty family vehicle, but we desperately wanted rid of the bloody Honda! So the Honda went onto Craigslist and to our immense surprise raked in a not to shabby $2,800, all said and done. The timing could not have been sweeter as it was up for tax renewal and safety inspection - more savings.

So the same day we said goodbye to the Honda, my fabulous hubbie - who, only just the day before, had been assigned the arduous task of sorting out our family car situation - forwarded me a link to a Ford Minivan on sale in a San Marcos garage. A Minivan!! Now that's what I'm talking about! And the online pic was good looking (it was a charcoal grey). We tried hard to slow down - and so we googled for 5 minutes or so - before all piling into the Lexus to take a look at (soon to be) our new minivan!

I don't think we could have helped falling in love if we'd tried. Let me break it down for you: Sliding Doors, DVD player with remote earphones - we can listen to the stereo while the kids are plugged in to Nemo! Heated seats - Leather upholstery, Fancy dual balance AC! LOADSA room!! I was trying so hard to play it cool, but the minute I saw it, boy did I want that van!

We took it for a test drive - all of us - kids and car seats and all. I had to brush off old mashed in cookie crumbs and other nastiness from the base of the car seats before setting them down in the very well looked after Ford Freestar. It was only slightly embarrassing - I was a little too pumped up to be ashamed! And thank goodness for those leather seats! We were only in the minivan 5 minutes, before our eldest boy decided to Christen it. A pretty good test really - that puddle wiped off the upholstery no messing! And we were sold!

We drove that Minivan off the car lot that same night and in just a weekend it has changed our world! We upgraded our 1 year old into a forward facing seat the very next day, and now the two boys are stationed side by side together in the very back. I can't begin to describe the - heart exploding with pride - feeling I get when I turn around and see my two big kids happily chilling out in the back.

The DVD player is so very cool! And I swore I would never need one in the car - my kids will play car games and eye-spy - yeah right, who was I kidding? Slam a movie on! And with 2 convenient cup holders in each of the back windows, the boys can hold drinks and snacks, and watch their movies to their hearts content. Driving the boys out places on my own is now a pleasure - no longer a chore. With the automatic sliding doors, it's easier for them to safely climb in and out, and there's room enough for me to climb through to the back and get them ready before even opening a door - and no, I'm not working for Ford!

Can you tell I'm in love? Never have I felt this way about a car before - but it's so much more than a car! The Minivan represents a lifestyle- and it truly hits it home to me - I'm a real Mom! Maybe soon I'll be a Soccer Mom (with two boys there's really no avoiding it). And with the Minivan on my side, now I'm ready for anything!