We're LATCH Compatible
May 22, 2008
So, we've shared a lot this week -- we've loved, laughed, learned! -- and I think we've all made some excellent progress towards Better & Fulfilled Marriages, most specifically in the areas of trust, vulnerability, communication and compromise, but I would just like to say that sometimes it is still all about the winning.
While Jason's suggestion of going a few months without a car payment was indeed fiscally responsible, and while I have no doubt that his offer to "work from home anytime [I] needed the car" was both sincere and well-intentioned, I calmly and rationally and lovingly explained that if I had to clear AND justify every single vehicular-based movement with him for so much as a goddamn week, I would stab him in the ears with a fork while he slept.
Sorry, I cannot blog today. I am far too busy thinking of places I can drive my hot new sensible momcar to. Look out world, it fits TWO carseats and features rugged all-weather mats for maximum stray-Cheerio collection. Wicked sweet, dude. Perhaps I shall go challenge some area minivans to a street race.
Welcome to Forester club, it really is a great car. I come to the commenting party late, but can tell you that the car survived a major accident like a champ with narry a scratch on the four of us inside, fits two adults and two car seats just fine. It's also great for picking up chicks, natch.
OH! A Subaru Forester! That's our next car! I can't wait to hear about it.
amalah- i apologize this comment is a bit off topic, but oh well. i just caught up on your blog after not reading for a few weeks. i had surgery on my feet & my dear sweet parked car was totaled. Thanks to the painkillers i was on everything was a pretty blurr for the past few weeks. But enough about me, I wanted to tell you that i am always amazed how much grace & humor you have under stressful situations. catching up on the blog tonight, reminded me that life right now for me isn't great (getting myself to the bathroom is a chore), but there is always humor and lessons to learn from these hard times. thank you for sharing your life both the ups and downs with myself & the internet.
Oh yeah, the new car is sweet.
Yay for you! I would love to have a subaru someday. I remember riding the back of my parents' Brat 25 years ago. I'm so with you on the car thing. I've had my own car since I was 15 and I would go nuts without one.
I am so happy that I bought my RAV4 back in (sadly, pre-LATCH) 2001. It's been paid off for years, it can haul my three big-ass steel drums around to gigs, and now it will function as a Mom Car!
Yay for the Subaru and all mini-SUV's, with their space and their decent gas mileage!
And yes, I'm a lesbian and we call them Lesbarus - Subaru is a nicely pro-gay company - but we don't make a call until we see what kind of pants you are wearing :-)
All this talk about loving cars reminded me of this..
http://www.closeronline.co.uk/RealLife/Reallifestories/sex-with-car.aspx?dateonline=Monday+19+May+2008
You Americans are weird.. ;-)
I have a 'dad car' (Peugeot 307) which I detest, but it has a lot of space...for 'me time' I ride a classic Vespa - no hope of junior getting anywhere near that for the next 18 years....
yay for you! I agree with you on the fork/stabbing thing. Jason should thank this car for his safety.
Woohoo! I just got a new Honda minivan the other day. I'm going to be babysitting my three nephews a lot this summer, and I need to be able to haul them around as well as my two sons. So, big mom car for me.
Power sliding doors rock. Big time.
Maybe I'll come up to D.C., and we can drag!
Girl, I want to echo the "i want a mini-van so badly" sentiment. Because I DO.
BUT, I'm actually commenting on the last post, since I didnt' get to read it until comments were closed.
I'm the working parent. My husband is the stay-at-home parent. And I'll let you know, it is HARD FROM THIS END, too. The mom-guilt is horrible. How can I be at work while my baby is busy growing up? I can't leave my job, how would we live? If I have a bad day at work, I'm afraid for the very core of our lives. We barely make it as is, what if I lost my job? I miss my girl SO MUCH by the end of the day, it hurts to my very core. My husband is a WONDERFUL daddy, and my daughter is well cared for and loved. But, sometimes, when I get home and the laundry hasn't been touched from when I was doing it yesterday, the kitchen is a mess from last night's dishes the I didnt' get to, the dog needs to go out, the beds aren't even close to made, the bathrooms haven't been cleaned since I did them weeks ago, I get so frustrated. I know if roles were reversed, I would be very angry at my husband if he got frustrated at me for those things, but I can't help but think (no, I can't help but KNOW) that those things would be done if I were the one at home. At least most days. How am I the work away from home AND the work at home parent?
Okay, that got off topic and is actually another post, but I really loved what you wrote. Mariage is a constant decision--to love, fight for, and value your partner. Thanks for that reminder.
I'm so disjointed, but I also wanted to say thank you for the reminder of the stay at home parent's point of view. I know it is hard for my husband--he gave up his work simply because he made less and I carried the benefits. By default, he stays home. It is hard for him, and he's doing a great job where it matters. My daughter. The apple of our eyes. She's healthy, she's happy, she's fed, she's played with, she's loved, and she's raised by her parents. That's all the matters.
wow. thanks for the oppotunity to let all of that out. :)
I really love your blog.
Dear Jason - sorry about the car payment, man. Amy - enjoy the new car!! I'll forgive you for not buying a Honda.......
Nice Forester (new badging and grill)! Congrats!
Congrats on your new Wheelz!
I LOVE my Outback. I would live in that car! (Even though she recently cost me around $900 for service and belt replacement.) I would GLADLY pay it all over again. Cause I love her so much!
a subee! Great cars. Congrats. The first new heavy rain you drive that baby in and see her hugging the road all nicely is going to make you want to hug that steering wheel!
Oh, you got another car!
I thought you could juggle the car demands by driving him to work and driving the car back, then fetching him later ... or is that too much? Sorry, that's how we run the things here :)
I am getting rid of the minivan in approximately 38 days, two hours, and thirty seven seconds, give or take a second or two.
The world of hot mom car possibility lays in front of me. Honda CRV? Subaru Forrester? Dare I dream of a Chrysler 300C?
I was going to post on your last entry about how I feel isolated in my house as well. We only have one car as well and I get stuck in the house all day with the kids. I'm so jealous!
A Forester was my second choice as a mom car; my first choice, well, I could not believe it was as practical as my notes would have it. I bought a chromed-up red PT Cruiser three years ago and I believe that was the last time in my life I had the giddy feeling of getting away with something. It's been totally wonderful, too. (This is with one kid, but a very large Britax-Marathon-requiring model.)
We have the Subaru Outback Impreza Sport (What a mouthful) I had a Honda Civic and then had my baby girl, got a Britax Marathon for her and the Civic is NOT LATCH compatible, plus the thing is too big for the Civic. The Soobie was my husband's "baby", but I secretly coveted it and wante it for my own. Thus, I stole it from him in the name of safety for the little one, but it feels like Mommy got her new "momcar" as well and we didn't have to pay anything. he did mention when the Honda dies, not getting another car. I'll be sure to use this post as refernce to why that WILL NOT WORK!
Oh Yay! We LOOOOVVVE winning!
Nice car too. Our first car after the fist kid was born was a Subaru Legacy Wagon. We drove it into the GROUND!
I just realized that you wanted to go out for lunch just so you could drive the Subaru. It's true, isn't it??
Also my official opinion on your car is that I would like to make out with it and/or live in it. Hot damn, I love that car.
Lucky gal.
boofyq -- when you go back to Subies, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much bigger the interior of the 2009 Foresters are compared to the old models. Noah can stretch out even when the front seats are really far back. (That was our big problem with our Impreza -- Noah had to put his ankles on either side of the seat headrest to stretch out.)
Jasmine -- oh dear God. That would mean close to FOUR HOURS in the car everyday and half of Jason's salary into the gas tank. Commuting in the DC area is...interesting, and I do not miss it.
Heather B -- but wasn't it WORTH IT to go joyriding through suburban parking garages?