Moms vs Dads: Packing

We are getting ready for our trip. We'll be leaving...eventually and I've already started to put together the suitcases/bags that we'll be using. Mr. MOTH purchased a fantastic HUGE bag for one of our trips and we can fit quite a bit in it. However, when he looked at me (straight-faced, no less!) and said, "I think 'we' can fit everything in here, don't you?" it was all I could do not to laugh right in his face. Look, I know we'll be wearing less clothing than if we were going in February - 90 degrees = as little as possible - but we're packing for six (6!) people this time. And we've got quite a few high-maintenance travellers in the group.

I put together all of Little One's outfits (seriously, she has more than enough clothes - if she were triplets!) which means that each individual outfit plus a diaper is in a gallon-size zip-top bag so that anyone (meaning NOT ME) could dress her in the morning. I then put all of those in my second (smaller) suitcase - which is where I thought maybe I could get all of the kids clothes...and it was about half full. Yeah. This is going to be fun...

Mr. MOTH had all of his vacation clothes laid out on the bed. Next to that I had piles for everyone else - Me, Baby Girl, Oldest Boy, and Youngest Boy (as Little One's are already packed). He had the nerve to look at it all and say, "Well, here's my stuff. And then there's mommy..." Again, I think I deserve a medal for not punching his lights out yelling at him right then and there. Seriously. I'm packing for 5 and a half people. That means he's packing for like, half a person!

And then there's the backpacks. I am trying to have the older kids be as responsible as they can for their own stuff. In particular, I'm worried about keeping them entertained on the flight (I have my fingers crossed that Little One will sleep. HA!). The boys already have backpacks for school and I bought Baby Girl a princess one so that they can each carry their own snacks, crayons, change of clothes, etc. They're not going to have a lot in there, but Mr. MOTH thinks this is a very bad idea. I think it's brilliant. I already feel like a pack mule when we go anywhere let alone on a long trip so the less I have to try to stuff in the diaper bag, the better. I finally convinced him that we should try it my way on the trip down and if it doesn't work, he has free reign to say, "I told you so!" as many times as he would like on the trip back (when their backpacks will be packed in a suitcase). Here's hoping I don't regret it. I wonder if I'm allowed any "I told you so's" if it DOES work...

Also, we've got a car seat situation. Technically, the law in Florida is that booster seats are recommended for children over 4, but not required. I don't care. The boys need their boosters. And the girls need car seats with 5-point harnesses. For those of you counting, that's 4 car seats. Plus a double-wide stroller. Plus our 3 or 4 or 5 suitcases. Plus my mom. Plus my mom's luggage. Now, we drive a '04 Honda Odyssey (aka the Space Shuttle) and it has quite a bit of room. We are renting a Dodge Caravan in Orlando. Mr. MOTH wants to pack all 4 carseats in our car seat carrier bags to take BEFORE we leave. Which means we would have a total of 8 car seats - 4 packed, 4 being used - for the trip to the airport (about an hour away). Now, my husband has crazy packing skills, but even he can't defy the laws of physics and make this much crap fit. He seemed a little surprised when I asked my brother to please, please, please drive our mother here in case we can't fit. At which point he can drive her (plus half of our shit) to the airport. Yeah, this is definitely going to be fun...

Add to all of this the stress of life with 4 kids to begin with, a playdate with Oldest Boy's best bud, transferring our goldfish to my Aunt Jo to fish-sit, figuring out what to do about the mail, getting ready for back-to-school, preparing for a trip to Michigan the weekend after we return, and on and on and on. I'm going to need a vacation when we get back!