Road Trip

Just like the movie of the same name, Andrew’s first “Road Trip” was to Austin. We headed to the capital of Texas to celebrate Uncle John’s 40th birthday party. He was great in the car sleeping most of the way. As for the party, A.J. was good about all the people—some familiar and some not so familiar—around him oohhing and aahhing over him and holding him. He got to meet some more family: Aunt Sharon, Auntie Eileen (Doris’s sister), and Uncle Bill (Auntie Eileen’s husband), Mary (their daughter), and Adam (Mary’s husband). Andrew was a great little party animal sleeping for only about 45 minutes during the four hours we were there. He finally started getting fussy around eleven; then, it was time to go home. But we had a great time seeing everyone and celebrating with Uncle Johnny.

On Sunday, we met James’s family out for brunch where Andrew got to meet his cousins, Peter and Kathryn, both of whom were very sweet to him. That afternoon, we headed on the next leg of our road trip, which was to Dallas, where I had to report to on Monday for training for work. Mom was nice enough to agree to watch Andrew while I was in training. Drew did not fare as well as the car ride before. He had a meltdown about twenty minutes before our arrival to my Aunt Hoa’s house. Poor thing was just so overtired and did not want to be in the car seat anymore. I stopped the car at a gas station; and within two minutes, he was asleep. We spent the night there and got to hang with my cousins, Tan and Albert.

The next morning, I headed to the hotel where our training was being held while Mom stayed at Aunt Hoa’s for the day. That night, the Doans were kind enough to drop Mom and Drew off at the hotel. Then, MaryAnn, David, and Dina all stopped by the hotel to see the little man.

On Tuesday, MaryAnn picked up Mom and Drew and took them to a nearby mall. Later that evening, we headed to Grapevine to see my Grandma, my mom’s brother, and his family. So, Andrew got to meet even more family!!

Finally, on Wednesday, we headed for Houston. We stopped at McDonald’s and took Andrew out of his car seat so he can stretch his legs figuring that this might prevent any reoccurrence of a meltdown. What do we know?? Not much apparently. After we put him back in the car seat and started driving again, he started to cry inconsolably. I asked Mom to stop at the rest stop where I took him out and held him. He calmed down and after fifteen minutes, we started back up again. This time, he was much better. I talked, sang, and read to him for about an hour until he got tired and fell asleep.

Of course, we could have gone without the meltdowns, but we can’t say we weren’t surprise. I mean the poor kid had to sit in the car seat for over eleven hours in a five day span—not to mention the other shorter car rides in and around town. Am I scared to take him on another car trip? No, but I will definitely think twice before I do.

Here are some pictures of Andrew at the party with Auntie Eileen and Cousin Mary.