Between a rock and a UTI

I drive. A lot.

I used to commute 2.5 hours to and from work each day for 6 months a year.

I love to zen out on the highway (interstates are a little different) and go.

I knew that when I had my baby that I'd have to find a way to drive, mainly to visit family, with her. Driving during nap times, taking pit stops at favorite haunts along the way, not pushing it, staying overnight rather than drive round trips (whenever possible).

I had it all figured out.

Until I actually had my kid.

We were fine - most of the time - with trips. If she'd fuss, we'd stop. Got out. Nurse. Walk. Regroup.

I hadn't figured on the extra time it would take to do this regrouping.

The majority of my family is about a 2 hour drive from my home - no stops. With stops, it's more like 3 or 3 1/2 hours.

So what? What's different??

Momma's gotta pee! That's what!!

More than once, I've raced into my destination baby under one arm - running back style - racing into the the bathroom. No "hi" no nothing.

State. Of. Emergency.

I've never been able to deal with the gross factor of gas station bathrooms. I had the hover down pat. Until, I was huge preggo and couldn't counter balance. And then I stayed at home with new baby without the need to hover. I lost my hover muscles!

The fact that my travels are usually just baby and momma means that baby has to come with me into the bathroom if I go.

One day, when Babygirl was about 5 months old, we had to do it.

I was on my way to a wedding, 4 hours from home. And I had to pee.

I invoked the powers of the hover gods - held on tight to the little one - and hovered.

With strategic paper towel placement and copious amounts of hand sanitizer, we accomplished the task without infection (bladder or otherwise).

That was a rare moment that I said to myself - "I've got this."

I was able to improvise well enough to use restroom and NOT drop the kid off at the pool!