Three Free Hours

Okay.. so yesterday while I was sitting in a McDonald’s parking lot using some free WiFi while Aubrey Lane napped and Jude was in preschool, I decided I needed to plan these preschool days a little better.

Up until now, I have had things to do during the hours Jude is at preschool.  Such as doctors appointments and trips to home health for supplies.  But today was my first free day.

For those of you who wonder why I just don’t go home those three hours that Jude is in school, let me explain.  We don’t exactly live very close to the LSU campus.  With traffic, it is at least a 30 minute drive to get there and about a 40 minute drive to get home.  So I really hate to add an hours worth of driving everyday to the gas bill on top of the fact that coming home for an hour and a half seems more trouble than worth. And I don’t have many stay at home mom friends and the few I have don’t live any closer to Baton Rouge than I do.

All this in mind, I’ve felt pretty guilty.  It’s not fair that Aubrey Lane has to spend so much time in a car seat.  No wonder she cries every time I put her in it.  

So today I started trying to figure out what to do on my three hours of free time.  These were my ideas and thoughts on them.

I could bring Aubrey Lane to a park.  That wouldn’t work because she’s not quite old enough to enjoy that and there is just too many germs at a park (yes I am that mom-blame the NICU and the PICU)  Not that we won’t go to parks, I would just like her to wait until she won’t have to stay in the hospital for a fever.

I could bust out the jogging stroller while I’m at LSU and walk the Lakes.  But those of you who don’t know my husband, just let me tell you- His little five foot nothing wife pushing his newborn baby girl down the side of the road would be way too much for his worrying habits.

I could put a cooler in the truck and go grocery shopping while Jude was at school- maybe...

I could go shopping in general- but I really don’t want to do that because that's not fun for Aubrey Lane and I’m trying to save money right now.

Or (the only idea that might seem to work) I can find a local library and take Aubrey Lane and read to her or hopefully they might have a story time on those days.

This is where I need your help.  I need ideas for making this three free hours quality time for Aubrey Lane.  

What would you do?  I’d love any suggestions I could get.