Minivan Mafia

I have to be upfront about something. I have a minivan phobia aversion.

I can't count the number of times I've been told how practical they are and what a dream they are to drive. And literally, with the exception of two women that have older children, every single mom in my neighborhood owns one. {I secretly refer to them as the minivan mafia.}

I mean don't get me wrong. I will be the first to admit that I have days where the idea of banishing my teenager to the way back sounds like a little slice of heaven. And those automatic sliding doors? *Drool*

But something about them makes me break into a sweat every time we walk into the car dealership to look at them. Maybe it's because to me they scream "Hey look at me, I'm a mom!"? {Umm hello, did my sloppy gray t-shirt covered in baby snot not give it away?} Is it because the sales guy keeps referring to them as kid carriers and people movers? Or maybe it's because they look like giant rolling boxes of sheet metal to me.  Whatever the case, I just can't get excited about driving one.

But here's the thing. Since having baby #3, our SUV just isn't big enough for our family of 5. It has become obvious that it's time to trade up for something bigger. And so I set out on mission-impossible to find something...anything...that the whole family could fit in comfortably without sacrificing my ego. The Acadia? My fancy double stroller won't fit in the back. The Pilot? My oldest daughter has to do serious acrobatics to climb over the second row seat since we have 2 in car seats. The Suburban? Gas Guzzler. Sigh...

And so, while I may go down kicking and screaming, it appears that I too may soon be joining the ranks of the minivan mafia. Drop down DVD players with wireless head sets, back seat tables, and 15 cup holders be damned.