Road Trip!
I do not know one person who is excited to set out on a road trip with a newborn baby. Everyone I know is always nervous. If you find someone that says otherwise, they are either lying or don’t have kids of their own. Everything can be broken down into two categories, the Known and the Unknown. What we know is that you will have to make at least one stop for every two hours of driving. Babies eat frequently. According to my wife the PICU nurse, feeding your newborn in a moving car is how babies die. Don’t do it!!! Also, the other thing we know is each feeding will take twenty minutes to an hour. I suggest bringing some reading material or making sure you have a fully charged phone.
Consequently, the yum yums that your baby will eat have to come out one of two ways. This leads me to the first unknown, blowouts. Parents, new and old, know this to be all too true. There is nothing like your baby having a blowout in the middle of the Grapevine and the next exit is thirty minutes away. It’s like the hot box of death. Some people risk pulling over on the side of the road, but you end up still having a smelly diaper and set of clothes in your car. The last unknown is your baby’s attitude. The car can go from happy and quiet to screaming and chaotic in a blink of an eye. Luckily, my daughter is not half demon. Although, some of my friends and family have learned to endure three hours of no stop screaming.
The Hotel & Packing
In-between the two stretches of the road trip where you are actually on the road, you have the hotel. Now one night in hotel with your family sounds like fun. However, a baby makes that a lot of work. My wife and I are positive we gave the hotel staff a good laugh. For just two days and one night, we had two suitcases, a Pack and Play, a diaper bag, a stroller and a bag full of pumping supplies. It is absolute madness how much more you need when you have a baby. Also, you are always worried about how your baby will sleep and react to the new environment. We are just being good parents. However, I tend not to focus as much on that though. Babies, as cute as they are, are tougher than we think.
That did not get us down. Even with a baby, it was Mommy and Daddy’s big night out. After all, we were celebrating my 30th birthday. We met up with my brother, sister and her boyfriend for dinner and drinks. Even though it is a little pricey, it is very convenient to stay next to the Staples Center. There are restaurants and bars galore. I recommend this area of Los Angeles to anyone. Bottomline, I had a great time celebrating my birthday. That’s the most important thing.
LAFC vs DC United
Finally, we get to the main reason for this road trip. I wanted to see a professional soccer game for my birthday. It’s something I’ve never done before. Also, it was in a new stadium with a new team. Los Angeles Football Club spent a lot of money to get some talented players. They made for an exciting game. I may have missed the first 20 minutes due to the baby being hungry, but what’s a dad going to do? We were still able to see all both goals and a red card. I was just sad that the game ended in a 1-1 tie. The atmosphere in the stadium is electric. The rooting section is yelling, chanting and banging drums from start to finish. I almost borrowed my daughter’s ear protection because it is that loud. This was a great experience, and I cannot wait for my next game!
Need guidance through your own travels? Please contact us today! Stay tuned for next week as we release a new Blog post every week.