That is so MINIVAN of me!

 Those of you who have followed me for awhile, or who know me IRL are aware of the part of me that was NEVER going to drive a minivan.

NEVER, ever, ever. Not even after we found out we were having twins.

(Cooler than a minivan?)

Many of you, including myself, chuckled in disbelief the day I drove my new minivan off the dealer lot.

It was that day back in January that I realized my life had changed, and was about to change even more drastically. Afterall, a minivan is really a symbol of ---- motherhood. Age. Crappy driving.

Though the minivan was officially mine several months ago, I left it sit in the garage. I wasn't going to drive it until absolutely necessary. Sometime towards the end of pregnancy, on the rare day I was allowed to drive myself to appointments, the minivan was.......gulp......very nice to drive. I didn't have to crawl up to high nor crouch down too low and feel as though my crotch may drop off into thin air. I could push a button and have the door automatically open.  I didn't have to do anything but hoist my miserably swollen legs up and drive off.

June 11, 2011. The day we brought the twins home from the hospital - became the day that I considered myself a committed Minivan Momma.  It was happening whether I liked it or not.

From the back door looking in...let the minivanhood begin!

 Going on nearly 2 months of Minivanhood, I have realized that our minivan has become more of a way of life for me than not.  I use the word "minivan" to describe myself, and that scares me.  You see, "minivan" doesn't stir up an image of a hot young chick.  This is part of the reason I was always so resistant to driving a minivan.  Because I'm far too cute and young to be driving THAT, right?

WRONG!!

Somehow, 10 years has managed to pass and I am no longer the young, single, much skinnier, 21 year old chick batting my eyelashes and checking out the single man in the vehicle next to me at the red light. That girl would be mortified to be sitting in minivan, yet alone driving one.

I am now the 30 29 year old, married mother of 3, no longer toned, lucky-to-have-showered-this-morning minivan driving "lady".  I've always hated the word "lady".  It seems so.....grown up.  Old.

I still think of myself as a youngin' until I realize that I am not phased by being stopped at a red light in my silver minivan.  I may notice the hot single man in the vehicle next to me, but I realize now that it doesn't matter WHAT he thinks of my vehicle, and I don't need to be embarrassed.  And let's be honest - there is more often the case of another silver minivan at the stoplight.  With a 70 year old driver.

"Minivan" is a much better descriptor of my life lately...and that really sinks in as I sit here at 11:20 PM typing this post, with 3 baby puke stains on my shirt, and my hair pulled back in the 7th ponytail of the week.   My makeup is nonexistent, and I just realized I haven't showered today.

It is so minivan of me.

But such is my life right now.  A minivan momma.

I guess I can deal with that...afterall...how else would I tote all these cuties around?

2 months old!

So what if I taught my 3-year old how to headbang?  Looks to me like she loved the headbanging lesson!

The  next part of my life, though committed to Minivanhood, needs to include making the minivan look damn good.  I should start by eliminating ice cream off of my daily menu and using the excuse that it's making up for lost nursing calories :)

Later this week, there is a possibility that the minivan and it's riders (sans husband who has to work) might make the trip back to North Dakota.  8 hours. Me.  Minivan.  3-year old.  2 two-month olds.  Alone.

.....to be decided.

And just because I can't resist, I suppose the old saying is true...