Maryland Vacation July 2014 Driving there

Trip to Maryland

Our house was a little quiet for a few days as my husband went to Texas for work and Gregory and I went with my parents for a visit with relatives in Maryland.  It was strange going on a vacation without my husband and for us to be apart for so long.  But I think the experience was well worth it on many different levels.  That said, I'm grateful for the ability to FaceTime with Greg!

Of course, I have learned that vacations always start of with SOMETHING happening.  This time, it was my poor sweet son getting a bump on his head.  Two to be exact.  The day before we left for the trip, I was watching Gregory in his room.  He was going back and forth from his toys to his toddler bed.  He has been in his toddler bed for 4 months now, so he knows very well how to get up and down from the bed.  But this time?  He decided to get off the bed, hand and face first.  I wasn't quick enough to catch him.  It was a short fall, but enough to scratch his head on the step in front of the bed and a knock on the head on the floor.

Gregory cried, but I was able to sooth him.  I didn't cry, which surprised me, but I did ask my parents to look at Gregory to make sure he was Ok or did we need to bring him to the emergency room.  They said he looked ok.  Here's a picture right after he fell.

Kills me to see that picture, can't stand to see my baby cry.

The next morning we left early in the morning.  Gregory was still sleeping, so it was good timing to get him in the car, plus the roads were clear.  Morning sunrise:

After going to Atlanta, Georgia recently, I was better prepared for this trip.  I had old toys, new toys, snacks, drinks, even the iPad mini, ready for Gregory.  We also took advantage of the rest areas along the way to stretch our legs.

And what's a vacation with my parents unless we stop at the Cracker Barrel restaurant.  My Dad got the table and placed the order while my mom and I walked Gregory and their dog.  Yes, they brought Biscuit along for the ride too :)

The drive to Maryland is about 18 hours with no stops.  Needless to say, it's a two day drive.  Even though Gregory slept a lot in the car, he slept well that night in the hotel room.

My parents are really cute together.  They didn't know I took this video, I call it Hand Dancing:

Ok, I'm weird, I like to take pictures of graveyards.  To me, it's honoring those lives, acknowledging them.  The gravesite went up a hill and there was a house near it too that we thought was lovely.

Another rest stop.  I love that my son enjoys flowers.  And trucks... and walking, walking, walking.  In fact, Gregory doesn't want to hold hands when he's walking.  He doesn't want to be given direction.  He wants to go where he wants to go.  My parents tried to take his hands to walk with him, Gregory threw his body down, fussed.  Then when that didn't work, he stiffened his legs like a toy marching soldier, ending with an ear-piercing scream.  It didn't stop there, he would fold his legs under him, meaning he was forcing a sit down.  Did I mention my son being willful and an adventurer.. on His. Own Terms.

Not wanting to hold hands.  Lol.

Happy touching flowers

LOVES trucks!

And this is what we did, walk, walk, walk.  Gregory was happy as a clam to walk.

Gregory and Biscuit

During the trip, we really did make good timing.  But... *cough* the last leg of the trip was.. umm, interesting.  Dad used the GPS, which was doing great and said we should stay on 495 North.  My parents were dropping Gregory and me off to stay at my cousin's home in Silver Springs.  My parents were staying with Rob and his wife in Baltimore.  They had to drop me off first.  Rob called my parents on their cell phone.  He needed them to get some paperwork together for the sale of his house in Louisiana, but they couldn't do this until after they dropped me off.

Rob looked up some info and said that 495 North had "red lines" which means that we were going to get traffic and he found out it was due to a car accident.  Rob told my parents to take 495 South.  It should have looped us around, but then it started to get confusing and the GPS said to go a certain way and my parents agreed to go that route, because we really didn't know where we were at the time.  It took us right into the heart of DC!  When we went in a tunnel, my Mom was exclaiming, "A tunnel!  What are we doing going through a tunnel!  Oh my God!"  They both had that crazy laugh going.  Then they realized we were in DC and more delirious laughter.  They started to funny/serious blame each other, but I piped in that Rob changed the original track.  When Rob texted my parents asking why they were in DC, I said out loud, "Because Rob is a turd!"  My Mom sent that text response to my brother!  OMG.  Well, he didn't text back after that.  Lol.  Add into the craziness, that my parents were conversing with the people buying Rob's house in Louisiana and trying to get them to send necessary information, etc.  Just added to the atmosphere.

As we were driving through DC, we took pictures of Gregory - first time in DC :)  (I love DC, I think it's beautiful.)

The GPS did find us safely to my cousin's home.  After quickly unpacking our suitcases, my parents were off to my brother and his wife's apartment.  Only, they didn't get there so quickly....  ummm, Dad decided that he didn't want to listen to the GPS and ended up going SOUTH again...  What should have taken them 30 minutes from my cousin's to my brother's place ended up taking them FOUR hours longer!  Not happy campers (grateful I wasn't in the car for that adventure).

More vacation fun to be continued.....