car problems

so, Sister-dearest wanted me to go to the mall and pick up some stuff for her. so i drove on out to Lancaster to the mall. of course, they didnt have what she needed. but i did pick up some shoes for erica. they're ultra-cute. they have strawberry shortcake on them!!! erica likes strawberry shortcake, so we've been getting all sorts of things for her w/ it on.

ANYWAY, we leave. we're on the highway and i look back at erica... WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?! the sly little girl figured out how to take off her car seat straps. She's sitting there with absolutely nothing holding her in. she's leaning all around, clapping, thinking this is fun.

i try sternly to tell her to stop it, but she doesnt take me seriously. So, i pulled over to the closes parking lot i could find. i turned around and said: "erica, mommy's gonna have to be stern with you." then i got out and climbed in the back seat with her. i took her hand and gave it a swat. to which she proceded to scream. [before you go and think that i'm some abusive mother-- it really wasnt hard. and i hold her hand in my hand so she cant pull away, so most times i end up slapping my own hand and not hers. what makes her cry isnt pain but the fact that she's being reprimanded.] I tell her that she cant take her seat belt off, give another swat, and tell her again not to take her seatbelt on. she's crying and crying. i tried to explain that its dangerous. she's crying. So, i figure she learned her lesson.

So, i strap her in again. then i get back into the driver's seat and take off. as soon as i'm on the road, i hear a "bing bing bing." what is that??? i look at my dashboard and dont notice any lights lit up. oh well... a few seconds later i hear "bing bing bing." what??? i look closer-- AHHH! my car is overheating. this is not good. so, i turned the heat on full blast and opened the windows. [yesterday was awful-hot. i think it was around 98 or 99.] then i pull over once again at the closest parking lot. i park the car, then look back at erica. BRAT! she took her seatbelt off AGAIN!

flustered and confused, i call Hubby. luckily andrew was in lancaster also for business. so he told us to hang tight and he'd be over ASAP. so, we went "shopping," just to get out of the heat. he showed up about an hour or so later. anyway, he tinkered under the hood of the car and got it to be okay. He followed us home to make sure it didnt break down. but we were good-- we got home w/o any snags.

and erica kept her seatbelt on-- but only b/c she fell asleep. the poor girl. She only slept for 30 minutes in the morning. and she totally missed the afternoon nap b/c of the car trouble. ... oh wait! i lied. she did take the seatbelt off. well, just one strap. but i didnt reprimand her when we got home b/c she was asleep.

today we're staying home.