Ingenious (or just plain crazy) Ideas

James used to be the worst napper on the planet. When we lived in Virginia, luckily, he was young enough that he used to fall asleep in the car quite often (now the only time that happens is occasionally on the way home from church). Sometimes after running errands I'd find myself pulling up to our house with him asleep and I knew if I even so much as budged his carseat, he'd wake up, so I'd just leave the car running and sit in the front seat and read. Or if it was nice outside, I'd turn the car off and roll down the windows just to keep him sleeping. It was ridiculous the lengths I'd go to get that kid to stay sleeping and sometimes I found myself wishing that I could go inside and clean the entire house while he snoozed in the car.

Another thing that was hard for me was lugging around my baby's clunker of a carseat. I have a bad back so carrying around that heavy thing was torture for me and for some weird reason, I thought buckling him in and out of his carseat was the worst! I remember the week he was born, and therefore the first week we ever had to use a carseat, I made Brian do it most of the time and I even remember thinking "Anytime I want to go somewhere I have to go through all this!?! Are you kidding me!?!" For a formerly very independent and free girl who could go anywhere anytime she pleased, the very thought of all the ins and outs and buckling and unbuckling was enough to keep me from going anywhere most of the time. It seems funny to me now that I've buckled him in and out of his carseat thousands of times, and although it's still kind of annoying sometimes, it's mostly a breeze. But back then, when it was all brand new, I hated it more than anything and always wished there was a way to avoid it. Which brings me to my point (sorry it took so long): I know I can't be the only mother who wishes they didn't have to bother getting their kid(s) in and out of the carseat for a quick two minute errand. Or the only one who pulls up to their destination only to find that their kid has totally zonked out and oh geez, now what are you supposed to do? Do you drive around some more to keep them asleep or do you just get out and do what you need to do even though it will wake them up?

Some days I just wish I could leave James in the car SO badly just to make my errand quicker and easier (and quite frankly, to save my back). Of course, I know I'd most likely get arrested if I did that (and I'd be named unfit to have children), so it's obviously not even an option. But it got me thinking (plus, reading this blog affirmed that other mother's are thinking the same thing) that wouldn't it be awesome if there really was some way around all of that? One of my least favorite errands to run with James is going to the Post Office. The other day all I wanted to do was mail my sister her bday package but the package was too big to drop off in the mail boxes outside, so I had to go in. Well, the pull down dropper/bin on the wall near the entrance (if it has an official name, I don't know it) wouldn't open, so that meant I had to wait in a very long line with a squirmy little toddler, who refused to ride in his stroller, just to get my package to the right place. When I finally made it to the front of the line, 15 minutes later, I was so bugged and wanted to yell at the guy "Your drop off bin is jammed! Do you realize how difficult that has made my life?" And then I started thinking that the Post Office seriously needs to consider getting a drive-through window just like the banks have! How awesome would that be?

I know some grocery stores have delivery services, and I'm not so stretched thin that I need a full-service delivery for my groceries. And in all honesty, I actually love going to the grocery store. It's kind of relaxing for me and as weird as it sounds, if James could handle it, I could probably spend a couple hours there every time I go. But on those days where all I need is milk or eggs or some other random staple I completely forgot to get on my last trip, I sure wish there was a drive-through grocery window or a courier/curbside service where you can call ahead and say "Hi. I'm a mom and while my kid was screaming bloody murder through aisle #7 last Monday, I completely got side tracked and forgot to get milk. Here's my credit card #. Charge me and I'll be there in 10 minutes to pick it up." And then you'd just pull up to the store and some awesome grocery guy/girl would run it out to you. How awesome would that be?

Or, I guess what it all comes down to is that all I really need is a husband who doesn't work 100 hours a week so that he was actually home enough for me to run errands without my kid. Sigh. But seriously, a drive-through window at the Post Office or a curbside grocery pick-up would still make my life easier. Any one out there have any solutions to these types of things?