Survival Tips for Grannys Dr. Trips

So here I am, another day of drudgery that I have decided to have you go through with me! At least the sun is shining and my bulbs are coming up. That sounds dirty, but it isn't....my perennials really are coming up...through the 8 feet of snow and everything! (OK so I am exaggerating a bit again, only 2 feet)

So, I am IMing with my sister, we are figuring out who is going to take the next trip out to NH, to take our grandmother to the Dr. It is only an hour away, but with a two year old, it can be a little bit of an adventure, and we both have one of those. (two year old that is)

You have to pack as though you are going on a month vacation...
1. Change of clothes: Because if you don't have them, they WILL pee all over you , the car, passers by, what have you. (Of course Murphy's Law, if you do have them, they will be complete potty trained delights...)

2. Many toys: As Many toys as your "mom purse" can handle. This prevents the inevitable bad situation where someone is pouring their heart out recounting the terrible day a bus ran them over, and how now they can't see buses with out having a panic attack, and seconds later a bored two year old comes barreling in singing "The Wheels on the Bus." Which leads to mass chaos, screaming people, wet pants, and well, that could really set someone back a few years...And all because you forget to bring enough freaking toys to the office. This scenario however, still ends a little better than if you forget to bring toys to the OBGYN office...now that is just bad all the way around!

3. Food: Because when all else fails, you can bribe and cajole with food....Yeah? What of it? Yes I do realize that my kids are probably going to grow up associating food with all sorts of things... rewards and bribes mostly...nutrition? Not so much. And yes they probably will be sitting on the same couches, pouring their hearts out, and not being able to figure out why they have an uncontrollable desire for Dunkin Doughnuts every time they enter a Dr. office, or pronounce a word correctly. But you know? We all do the best we can with what we have...and Maine has a Ton of Dunkin Doughnuts.

4. Dress them up really cute: Most people have a really hard time getting irritated with the kid that is all dressed up in a sweater vest or a cute dress....I know that sounds mean, but it is true. When my kids go out in their normal attire of Peanut Butter smudges and Jelly stains, people look at them, more with the "who is this little Nit?" disapproval, then the "oh how cute they are"look. But let me tell ya, smooth down the sticking up hair, and put on a sweater vest, and Henry can charm the crabbiest of them!

If all else fails,

5. A parenting book: Preferably one called "How to Be a Great Aunt to a Bad Kid" That way when your kid starts acting really bad, you can just point to the book and shrug your shoulders. You get all the kudos for trying to be a great aunt to the problem child of your sibling, and none of the blame for their terrible behavior! (My sister right now, is going, Damn, why didn't I think of that!) If you can't find a book like that I guess you could always just to ask around if anyone knows where this kids mother is....

So there you have it, my survival tips for the day at the Dr. in NH. We haven't hammered out who is going, but with a plan in place, we will both survive no matter who gets the short straw! (Not that we MIND going to the Dr for our grandmother!)