This trip would mark the first hotel/travel experience will fully mobile toddlers. We were excited! Terrified, but excited!
For once, we actually left the house within an hour of our intended departure time- 3pm. Unfortunately, we intended on the wrong time this trip. A trip to Philadelphia should take approximately 3 and a half hours from our house. Our duo are taking 2 naps a day, with the afternoon nap starting anywhere between 1:30 and 3, depending on the day.
As usual, we wanted to use their schedule to our advantage, so the thought was that we could leave when they were ready for their nap, and probably get most of the drive done during their 1.5 to 2 hour nap. Hopefully they would survive the remaining hour and a half or two hours of the drive, and we’d just grab dinner once we got to Philadelphia.
Three and a half hours later, we were sitting on 95, in New York.
Once we finally started moving again, we pulled over at the first Rest Stop we come to (Vince Lombardi) in NJ. We’re very familiar with this rest stop, as it’s the first/last stop before NY & CT. You can find all your typical Rest Stop staples here, but they also have some fresh, and healthier-ish options in the travel store.
We found something to feed the kids, let them crawl around the car for a bit (yay, minivan) and then put them back in their car seats to finish out the ride.
The rest of the drive went fairly smoothly, and we arrived at our hotel- Embassy Suites, Philadelphia Airport. TT Dad checked us in, as the kids wandered around the lobby area, which had plenty to explore, including a water feature, and lots of greenery. It was around 9pm, way passed their bedtime, but since they had slept most of the way, we wanted to let them burn off some energy before trying to put them to bed in the two Pack and Plays we had requested.
We got up to the room, and we were pleasantly surprised. There were snacks, drinks, and bedroom door. Perfect. We headed into the bedroom to set up the Pack and Plays. This is where our story gets a little messy.
We had confirmed that there were to be two Pack and Plays in our room upon arrival. We arrived to find… None.
TT Dad headed down to the car to bring in our belongings, and stopped by the front desk on the way, to inquire about the missing Pack and Plays. We were told they would be up in a minute. TT Dad ran down for one last load of luggage, and the duo and I were exploring the room. They were finally showing signs of slowing down.
After TT Dad returned, and a significant amount of time had passed, with no Pack and Plays in sight, he went back down AGAIN to see what was taking so long.
Turns out, they had 8 total Pack and Plays at the hotel. Six were already in rooms, they had discovered that number seven was broken, and they were unable to locate number eight. They would happily provide extra pillows and blankets, instead.
I’m still not sure exactly what they expected us to do with them.
They had been calling nearby hotels, and continued to do so, dialing fast and furiously, to try to secure the Pack and Plays that had been promised to us. We were finally notified that they had found one. This was close to 10:30pm, and the duo were fading fast. TT Dad and I decided not to hold out any more hope, and he jumped in the car to head out to the closest jumbo super store to purchase a Pack and Play.
He ended up with two, not trusting the hotel very much at this point. Sure enough, they were only able to locate one, so we used one of the newly purchased ones also.
I had started our bedtime routine as TT Dad was out hunting and gathering. I had two sleeping babies on my shoulders when there was a knock on the door.
Followed by a ringing telephone.
That didn’t stop.
I imagine it was quite an amusing scene. The duo woke up as I tried to get the door open and let the poor employee in with the Pack and Play. TT Dad arrived just after the employee, and the duo ran around some more as TT Dad and I put together the two Pack and Plays.
With their beds finally made, we went through their bedtime routine for the second time, and they finally were asleep, in bed, around 11:15pm.
TT Dad and I looked at each other as we realized we were very very hungry. We found a place that would deliver, and ordered a couple of sandwiches. A long day, indeed, but we were hopeful that the rest of the weekend would go a little better.
The takeaway here… Mobile twins are tiring!
But you did it and made it back safely. That’s the hallmark of a good trip.