Naptime Blog

Notice I did not call myself a Soccer Mom.  I am not sure why the term Soccer Mom was created, but Soccer Mom doesn’t quite fit me.  You can refer to me as Softball Mom, Girl Scout Mom, Choir Practice Mom…   In the past I have even been Gymnastics Mom, Dance Class Mom, Play Practice Mom or After School Program Mom.  I am sure at some point I will be Baseball Mom, Football Mom, Hockey Mom, Boy Scouts Mom, maybe even Bowling Mom, Wrestling Mom, Debate Club Mom,  and yes, quite possibly one day I might just actually be the proverbial Soccer Mom.  Whatever you call it, earlier this month, we finally joined the ranks of millions of other families and traded in our SUV (which was technically a CUV, Cross Over Vehicle) for a minivan.  So I am now an official “Minivan Mom”.

Being an at-home mom, I often feel that I have lost touch with the “grown-up” world.  I know how important I am to four little kids and a man that calls himself MY husband, but I sometimes feel that I lost my individuality along the way.  As I see my daughter grow so rapidly, and my little baby boys are now tiny little men, I am reminded that my own childhood is a memory.  I guess a part of me was holding on to my “truck” as a means of keeping young, although that doesn’t make much sense.  Honestly, sometimes even I don’t understand my train of thought!

Anyone and everyone who has children and owns a minivan has been telling me for years how I will be very happy to make this move.  Getting 3 babies in and out of a third row seat in an SUV was getting so difficult, even when my husband was with me, that it became a headache to go shopping or visiting.  And traveling with 4 kids, three under two is not easy.  I either have a double stroller with a Snap N Go for the little guy or a triple stroller, either taking up the entire back area in storage in my SUV. 

We are now the proud owners of a 2010 Chrysler Town and Country Touring.  Once my children realize exactly how much storage space we have in this minivan they are going to drive me crazy hiding toys and videos, possibly even each other.  We have dual DVD players, and each of them can have a different video or game going on them, which means my daughter can watch High School Musical while my boys can watch Yo Gabba Gabba and mommy and daddy can listen to Sirius radio.  I cannot wait to go on a long trip just to try all this out (of course we’ve tried it out on shorter trips, but would love to make a trip down south with all of these gadgets!).  Although it won’t be easy getting the boys in and out of ANY vehicle in the next few years, it has been much easier to get them in the minivan than the truck.  And I am AMAZED with how much room I have with the strollers in the back… we even went food shopping and forgot to take the carriages out and had plenty of room for the packages!  Maybe next time we can venture to the grocery store WITH the kids (nah…!)

I am amazed with how much I am enjoying the features in my minivan and how family friendly it really is.  I am slowly getting used to the idea of being a Minivan Mom, and am making the best of it.  Maybe in about 18 years I can get that two seat Mercedes!

Jennifer
Wife to Paul, Mom to Juliana (7), Anthony and Louis (1) and Joseph (4 months)www.nevaland.com