Toddler Tripping Part 1

You're going to do what???!!! That was the common response I got after I told people about my plans to travel around the United States with my 20 month old highly active toddler.

I had just gotten out of the Navy and I wanted to experience the freedom of the open road and say hi to every member of my family and meet my boyfriends family and friends. My family is spread out between Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and Wisconsin. We live in San Diego California and my Boyfriend's family lives in Louisiana Oh and did I mention the wedding in Dallas Texas. Needless to say this was going to be a long journey in a small car. (A 2008 Subaru Impreza to be exact) So many people believed that I would be unable to accomplish the whole journey, but I loved road trips pre baby and there was no way I was turning back. I learned so much on my trip and am excited to share my journey with you. The whole trip lasted two months and provided my little man with so many experiences at such a young age.

Most people who ask questions about our trip start with the most obvious... Didn't he get bored in the car and drive you crazy.... The answer to this question is actually no I tended to entertain him with singing together with music, giving him a tablet to watch and lots and lots of educational and fun stops. The stops with a toddle are honestly the best part his  natural curiosity really brought places to life for me and challenged me to really look at the things around me. Especially when looking for things that are dangerous for a toddler!

The best advice I can give to any family going on a road trip is to STOP!!!! Seriously if you see a cool area stop look at it enjoy it, take pictures, explore. You will only have so many years to see the wonder of the World through a toddlers eyes so make sure you take those rare opportunities. 

For us the First stop we made was in Arizona as I was driving along interstate 10 I saw a sign for the Petroglyphs... I didn't even know what they were but I knew I needed to stop. The petroglyphs turned out to be ancient drawings by Native Americans dated back over 12,000 years. The best part for Russell was being able to run around. I even allowed him to take his ball with him and we threw it back and forth for a while.The fresh Arizona air and the activity helped us both to learn and when we got back in the car he slept soundly for hours.

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

The one thing that I did right was to stop often and early, but if I could redo anything it would be how I did food and lodging. In the future I plan to use camping equipment and stay at camp sites with showers versus paying such high prices for hotels. Also looking back I with that I had made sandwiches and tiny bags of vegetables and chips instead of stopping to eat out. I wasted so much money and time on these two things! But I guarantee you next time I won't be making that mistake!

I think that is where i'll stop on  this subject for today. If you have any questions or want to make a comment please feel free to do so. Also if you like my blog follow me on the button below and stay tune for Wildcard Wednesday tomorrow.