Christmas is right around the corner — which means I’m not only in the throes of last-minute shopping and nightly retrieving nativity pieces from their “journeys” around the house, but I’m also preparing to strap our tiny people (a 2.5 year-old and 2 month-old) in a car and head out for a week of celebrations.
Cue: deep breathing into the nearest Trader Joe’s bag.
Okay, that’s a tad dramatic. I am, in fact, very excited for our Christmas travel. Most of our extended family lives within a 60-mile radius of each other (and most of those who don’t live there will be there), which means we’ll get to see a hundred of our favorite people and introduce many of them to our newest addition! That’s not only convenient, but it’s very special. We’re a fortunate lot.
But traveling with kids over the holidays does not exactly conjure up images of attending fancy parties where everyone is doing the dance of the sugar plum fairy, right? It’s a different kind of, er … fun.
As I head out to a week of food and fun mixed with boatloads of sleep deprivation, here are the things I’m playing on repeat in my brain:
Expect the plans to change. Someone is going to have a diaper blowout as we’re in the middle of nowhere, and the car is going to smell like poop for 30 miles. We’re going to have to stop seven times to nurse the baby. Lots of little kids together at holiday gatherings means someone is bound to get sick or be up all night or tantrum during Christmas breakfast. That doesn’t mean the day can’t still be special in its own way. Expecting things to go other than I expect is half of the battle for me.
Exhaustion and joy are not mutually exclusive. The joy of the holidays is going to have to be experienced in the middle of fatigue for me this year — after all, I have a newborn! I also can’t fit into my pants, and would rather avoid the inevitable family pictures. But I’m going to have to accept both of those things for what they are, and pray I can enjoy where I am and what I have (which is a sweet baby and family who does not really care that I will be wearing sweatpants all week).
It will take time to recover. Travel with little ones is not only a bit nutty while you’re away, but it can still be crazy when you return. The sugar! The presents! The attention! Everyone is coming down from all that in January, which is why post-holiday blues are real. I’m trying to prepare myself for things to be out of whack for the next few weeks. Things will return to normal. It’s all OK.
Thankfulness. Asking for grace. Deep Breaths. In the shuffling around, I constantly forget what the season is all about and how much I really have. These three things tend to help.
I haven’t said anything we don’t all know, of course, but I’m personally going to have to remind myself of these things constantly for the next few weeks, as I’m packing, as we’re shoving it all into the car, and actually right this very minute, because I’m feeling like I might need that Trader Joe’s bag just thinking about it…
Happy holidays, mamas!
It can definitely be tiring being with the kids on a long road trip. But it’s those memories with them that really make them worth it!