If your baby likes to sleep in the car seat, count your blessings. Better to have a car-sleeper than a car-screamer.
You’ve also got the perfect excuse to patronize nearby drive-through businesses as a destination. My favorites were the slightly-far In-N-Out and the not-very-close drive-through Starbucks.
The real magic can happen when you’re creative and persuasive (and grateful!). You might get normal businesses to serve you curbside if business is slow.
As I was doing our environment a disservice by driving around to keep Holden asleep, I called up a local baby emporium (Baby World on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland) and asked if they could possibly come outside and take my credit card and bring me a size Medium sleep sack and a feeding chair. Score! I’ve had luck with this technique with regular retail stores like kids clothes and non-drive-through restaurants. Most businesses are happy to take your money outside if you’re polite and explain the situation. Finally, cash makes it easier.
If your baby is a car napper, keep the phone number of such helpful businesses in your phone.
The local drugstores that have Pharmacy drive through’s are also great stops…They have have gotten not pharmacy items for me as long as they fit throught the little drawer. I have called the grocery and asked them to bring out milk and once I even called Walmart and asked if they could bring the Toy Pool I wanted to the gardening center and meet me. Once I have explained why…they have almost always accomodated. 🙂
@Kristie,
I wish we had drive-through pharmacies out here. Having a sick baby or toddler and picking up a prescription is the worst! I love your other examples too. Go mama!
I did this at the vet once – the kids were *finally* sleeping and the vet’s assistant was nice enough to run out, get my check and give me my cat. My husband tells me that Braum’s used to do anything from their grocery area at the drive-through when he was a kid and I wish they’d do it now!
@Lee, I’m glad to hear it. I remember the time that my toddler splashed his way through his pants and a second-hand shop brought me a pair to my car ($2!!!), I just asked for “anything in a 2T” — people can be so lovely.