This is Me Swallowing My Pride

(Yes, this is also me quoting Taylor Swift!)

So...I needed a new car. I'd been driving the Acura since college, and while it was a great car (despite the Great Illegal Immigrant Wreck of Memorial Day Weekend 2006), it was getting up there in miles and it was a tad smaller than I'd like. Brian and I tossed around ideas for awhile but weren't really sure which direction we wanted to go. We talked about SUVs, sedans, and even station wagons. But somewhere along the way, one of us threw it out there...the 'm' word. Minivan.

A minivan. The dreaded mom-mobile. The vehicle that immediately brings to mind images of frazzled, sweatpants-wearing, coffee-guzzling, unshowered women who have basically given up on having a life outside of the carpool lane. The vehicle that we all said we'd never drive. Well, as of yesterday, there's one in my garage.

Here's how it happened: We started talking about what we needed in a car, what we wanted in a car, and what we wanted to pay for a car. We looked at a few options...everything was too small, too expensive, didn't have all the options we wanted, or I just plain didn't like driving it (like the Suburban). We revisited the minivan discussions, but this time a bit more seriously. We talked to other parents about the pros and cons of the vehicles they drove. I was beginning to see the merits of the minivan, but I still just didn't know if I was ready to become a minivan mama. Then, during a conversation with Brian's sister (who drives an SUV and has two kids, ages 5 and 2), she mentioned how much her kids love it when they get to ride in a minivan. Then her husband said something about how driving a minivan required you to swallow your pride.

That was my lightbulb moment...here was a car that had everything we needed in a vehicle, everything we wanted in a vehicle, and the price was right. It would make my life a whole lot easier...because it was designed to do just that for people just like me. So what was holding me back from getting one? Not looking cool when I pull up to play dates? Not looking hip when I go to Target to do my shopping? Not looking stylish when I unload the kids at the library for story time? All of a sudden, getting anything but a minivan just seemed kind of silly.

So I looked at a few online, watched the swagger wagon video on YouTube to psych myself up, and told people I was in the market for a minivan. Most people either laughed, thought I was joking, or tried (unsuccessfully) to talk me out of it (shout-out to Kim, Lisa and Whitney...the only people who did none of the above!). Brian did his research and decided a Honda Odyssey was the way to go, so we went and had a look. I halfway expected to hate driving a minivan, but I actually didn't. I was shocked at how roomy it is on the inside without feeling like you're driving a bus (which is how driving the Suburban feels to me). Plus, it has a lot of cool stuff on the inside. Navigation, satellite radio, tons of storage space, bluetooth, a DVD player in the back for when the kiddos are old enough, and so much room for people to ride (even with two huge convertible car seats) it's ridiculous.

We decided to take the plunge and trade in my Acura for the Odyssey. Brian (who told me the dealership was ordering one for me and it wouldn't be here until February or March) surprised me with my new ride on Thursday. I loooooove it. Will I always drive a minivan? Who knows. But for now, it is definitely the right choice for us. So now I suppose all that's left to do is slap one of those stick-figure family stickers on the back window and head to the mall to look for some "mom jeans" to complete my transformation!

The Shelton Swagger Wagon!

I would have taken a picture of myself in front of it, but, well, I was wearing sweatpants. And I was unshowered...kind of like the typical minivan-driving mom I described above! Hey, if the shoe fits...

I was pretty much the only person left on Earth without satellite radio, so I am pretty pumped.

Seriously, there is so much room. And Bailey can now actually ride in the car with us comfortably. She has the entire third row to herself now, whereas she could hardly even get in the Acura with the huge car seats installed, let alone get comfy. 

Hands-down the best part: The sliding doors that open/close with the push of a button. So handy when you have an armful of babies and their gear. There's an open/close button right inside both passenger doors...

and an open/close button right by the steering wheel, so I can start opening the doors before I even get out of the car...

...and an open/close button for each door on the key. So handy!