Dear Drive-Thrus…

Today, I would like to thank some of the drive-thrus that have made the first 11 months of new motherhood possible.

Pharmacy Drive-Thru
You receive my biggest thanks and praise.  Thank you for allowing me to pick up my prescriptions without having to get myself and my screaming child out of the car.  Thank you for having debit at your drive-thru, because it’s almost all I have used for these past months.  Thank you, also, for having call-in prescription refills.  Without that I would almost never be able to go and get my monthly idon’twanttohaveanotherbabyyet prescription.

Bank Machine Drive-Thru
Although I rarely have cash on me (I’d be the worst person to mug…barely any credit cards and no cash, sigh), there have been times I have needed it in a hurry, and you, Bank Machine Drive-Thru, were always there.  Thank you for not making me lug my 20 pound son out of the car and balance him on the counter as I fish for my bank card trying to prevent him from pressing and licking all the buttons on the bank machine.  Thank you for making my life so much easier in those rare flashes where cash is a must but The Boy is not in any mood to make new friends at the bank.

Coffee Drive-Thru
Since having The Boy, I now choose my coffee based on which place has a drive-thru.  In the early months, I would sometimes go two or three times a day, just to get out of the house and try to lull The Boy into some semblance of sleep.  Drive-thru coffee establishments, you are the reason I can continue to enjoy a hot beverage.  You are the reason I was not always a walking zombie.  Without you, I would rarely get a cup, so I thank you.

Dry-Cleaner Drive-Thru
OK, OK- I have only had two things dry-cleaned since having my baby.  It’s just not practical anymore.  However, those two times I had to drop-off and pick-up my dry cleaning, I did it using the ultra-convenient drive-thru.  No wrestling with hangers.  No trying to keep little teeth from biting through the plastic covering.  Quick and easy.

Finally…
Fast Food Drive-Thru
I don’t eat fast food very often. However, for the first 6 months where The Boy barely slept and insisted on being held for hours at a time, a drive-thru was the only way that I ate.  There were literally days that, after hours of rocking and shhhhhhhhhhhh-ing, I would put The Boy in the car and just drive…sometimes for up to two hours.  It was then that fast food drive-thrus saved my life.  I could drive, sip my Diet Coke, and munch on a burger- it was the only time during the day that my belly was full and my child was quiet.  So, fast food drive-thrus, while I rarely visit you now, thank you so much for saving me from certain starvation when I was a brand-new mom.

PS- I advocate a healthy, active lifestyle.  Walk when you can.  Park furthest from the doors of your local grocery store.  However, when you’ve got a squirmy, crying, I’msoovershopping child on your hands, NOTHING beats a Drive-Thru. Nothing!