What a Woman Wants.

Our van was in the shop for a few days recently.  Our scaled down rental gave me a new found appreciation for the 2007 Sienna that we currently have.  For example, this rental doesn't have a sliding door.  That thing has been a Godsend.  Imagine trying to hustle toddlers into a car from a crowded parking lot, or run 2 newborns through 20 degree weather when 1 is already waiting in the pre-warmed car.  I could open it last minute while my hands were full of babies.  And close them in, just as fast.  Or how about the fact that we have an 8 seater, allowing me to have all of our car seats in the middle row.  This rental van was a 7 seater.  I had to put one Salad ingredient in the back.  There were many fights about who got to sit back there.  Finally, they realized that whoever sat there got the short end of the stick, for I was unable to hand them food or books.

Thinking about these seemingly insignificant details has made me want to share with you a list of things that has made my life as a mother easier and dare I say,  more enjoyable.  I have sung the praises of these things for the past 4 years, so for some of my mom friends, this won't be the first time you hear this, and most certainly will not be the last. 

The Keurig Coffee Maker.  There is nothing more comforting to me than a freshly brewed cup of coffee (or 2) in the morning.  I needed the caffeine more when the Salad was newborn.  Many mornings, I woke up alone in a house with an overwhelming amount of children.  Of course there were only 3, but in my post partum/possible post traumatic stress 3 seemed like a whole lot of babies.  I needed that caffinated kick in the pants to get me going on 24 bottles or 36 diaper changes.  Now, it's like waking up to an old friend.

Shick Intuition Razors with Built In Soap.  The ease of a razor already combined with soap for you?  It's a real time saver, that without . . . Well, let's not imagine life with out Shick Intuition Razors with Built In Soap.  Suffice it to say, it wouldn't be pretty.

She looks like a new mom who could use one of those razors.  Eh.  Who am I to talk?

DVR. I came off 3 months straight of bed rest, during which I watched every episode of M.A.S.H, Golden Girls, Pysch and Sex and the City ever recorded.  Sure, there were hours I would read, maybe even get up and walk downstairs, but mostly, I watched TV and grew a Fruit Salad.  TV became important to me, it was how I scheduled my day, usually showering at 11:00AM, 'cause I just couldn't tolerate The View.  But then, February 5th, my world changed and I didn't have a single second to watch "my stories".  I secretly began to feel resentful.  Maybe not so secretly, because at some point someone, some angel sent from God said to me, "Why don't you just get DVR?"  Within 24 hours, we had DVR and I was able to get up to speed on the "Deadliest Catch."  Angel sent from God, do you know who you are? 'Cause I don't remember and I'd like to thank you in person.   

Drive thru anythings.  McDonald's.  Dunkin Donuts.  Swiss Farms.  ATM machines.  I actually drove 20 minutes once because there is a drive thru Dunkin Donuts in Upper Darby and I needed a last minute Christmas gift for my brother-in-law.  It meant I didn't have to haul 10 month old triplets, out into the cold into a germ infested store during RSV season.  That's important stuff to a mother.  Also, during this stage and well into their 2s, I would drive to Media to run errands during the winter, just to get out of the house.  I chose Media because we have an amazing dry cleaner there, who adores my Salad and would run my clothes out to me, so I wouldn't have to leave them in the car.  Then I could drive thru the ATM to pick up cash, which I promptly spent at the McDonald's drive thru.  While the Salad munched on fries, I could hit Swiss Farms for the gallon of milk we so desperately needed.  Bing.  Bang.  Boom.  Errands complete.  Adult interaction.  Salad was fed.  Now.  We need Target to get a drive thru and life would be easy peasy, lemon squeezy.