Road Warrior in Training

With a number of delays and the greatest snow storm to hit the southeast since whenever the last time was...our little family is on the road to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, and one year with Abney in our lives (although we didn't know it yet). :) With the many years of long distance, Ben, Charlie and I are fairly seasoned road warriors. We normally make only one stop per six hour trip and tend to eat on the run instead of stopping. Wow is having a wee one a change to that routine! Abney has already made a number of long distance romps that started when she was only three weeks old, so she is fairly used to the drill and a very good car rider. Ben and I have gotten better about knowing how to break up the trip and being patient by actually stopping for meals because inevitably there is a diaper or two to be changed and a baby to burp. Well tonight was quite the classic moment. Somewhere in Alabama we prepared for our third stop for gas and food. Ben took the boys to do their thing and I took Abney to get changed.
It was one of those fabulous country gas stations with signs telling you to "be a sweetie and wipe the seatie" and a silk floral wreath on every stall. They even had a little wicker bench and chair. Why, I wondered? How many people really want to relax and have a tea in a public restroom? They had all the necessities a southern woman could need but of course no changing table!!!! Oh the joys of learning how to find ways to change a diaper without a stupid changing table. I was then thankful for the wicker bench and for a diaper I knew was only containing number one. I thought about calling my mom to see if Abney had earlier but thought she certainly must have...(Cue fateful music)
Abney and I joined Ben in the Subway, which is apparently a big hangout on Friday nights. I don't know what about me says I'm friendly because when I'm tired, hungry, and in go mode I certainly do not find engaging in conversation with random strangers about how my baby looks like a boy even tough she is in a pink and green onesie entertaining
So I'm fed and move on to phase two and fed my girl. Then it happened.
I looked up at Ben and then took Abney for round 2 of changing. Oh my. The cute pink and green onesie was done and when I looked in my trusty diaper bag I realized I had not bothered to stick an extra outfit in before leaving. Had I forgotten one of the cardinal rules of leaving the house with baby? Oh yes. Did I have anything with me to wrap her in? Oh no. The carrier with all her blankies was in the Subway with Ben.
I took a deep breath and did the walk of shame with my naked baby. Yes, I was the redneck mom with a baby in diaper walking around the local gas station. Never in a million years could I ever have anticipated...let's just say I will from now on think twice before judging the randomness you sometimes see a mother and her children in.
Ben saved the day and went out to the car and dug through her bag to find a very cute outfit for his girl. And somehow we tag teamed getting her dressed while sitting in the subway with all our new friends. We both looked at each other and knew this would be one of those nights we couldn't forget. Poor Abney, our little naked baby in the gas station. But I will probably not be as likely to forget the extra outfit rule again!