After three months of negotiations, Chad finally decided that it was time to cross the threshold into minivan territory. I've been rallying for this decision ever since finding out that baby #3 is en route. After all, Thatcher would have to get in and out of the trunk to access the third row seating in the Honda Pilot once the baby arrives. How fun preschool drop off and pick up would be--especially in the rain--trying to get Hadley and the baby out of their respective doors AND Thatcher out through the trunk! Chad has wavered on making the trade, so I had put it out of my mind...until Friday morning when he unexpectedly announced that we should make the trip to Carmax to see what they would offer us for the year-old Pilot. That night, we bid adieu to Skunk One and drove Onezma, the 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L, home.
If you ever need to make a significant vehicle transaction, here are some tips:
- Sell your car to Carmax. They offer top dollar and beat dealer prices by at least $4K.
- Don't take your children to the car dealer. Ever. Even if the dealership has a cool indoor playground for the kids. Trust me, even the coolest playgrounds become tiresome after four hours.
- Calculate the time you think it will take to make the transaction (i.e. trade-in, straight sell, purchase, etc.), and double it...at least.
The kids (and Chad) are completely in love with Onez. They LOVE to explore her new features - especially the navigation system and rear camera, which have lots of buttons for them to press. Chad is delighted to have more room, while I'm happy that Thatcher will not have to go through the trunk. Oh, and another big plus is that, unlike the Pilot, Onez doesn't smell like skunk.
Sunday afternoon, the kids and I were configuring the inside of Onez while Chad cleaned out the garage. It's a bit difficult navigating the inside of any vehicle with two kids flanking you, especially when you are seven months pregnant. After about 15 minutes, I abandoned the project and took Thatcher inside to make some ice cream, leaving Hadley playing in the open minivan under daddy's "supervision." Literally two minutes later, Chad summoned me to the garage whereupon he announced that Hadley was locked in the minivan. Unbeknownst to anyone, the kids had pressed the lock button while inside the vehicle with all the doors open, and then Chad closed all the doors...with Hadley inside.
After about 20 minutes of trying to convince Hadley to press the unlock button, I called the Loudoun County Volunteer Rescue Squad (LCVRS). Yes, these are the same WONDERFUL men who came to our house for the skunk incident when Hadley was born. Once again, the LCVRS did not disappoint. Just as Hadley was reaching meltdown mode, a fire truck, police car, ambulance roared up to our house. After several unsuccessful attempts to open the door, they were able to open my purse (inside the car), fish out the keys, and pull them through the door. After she freshened up, they presented Hadley with a big, stuffed, fluffy dog for being such a brave girl throughout the ordeal. Truly, these guys are amazing!
As amazing as the LCVRS is, my darling husband nevertheless provided the most entertaining part of the whole experience. When the police officer asked, "How did this happen?" Chad--who had closed all the doors of the minivan in the first place--coolly replied, "That's the big mystery. I suspect it had something to do with my three year-old son, who is inside the house."
Honda Pilot Trade-In Value: $26K
New minivan: $30K Loudoun County Rescue Squad Service: Free Blaming Your Preschooler for Locking Your Daughter in the Car: Priceless
That is a great story! I know it wasn't so funny while you were living it, but definitely something you will never forget. Life with 2 kids (and Chad) is never boring! :)
ReplyDelete