There really should be more drive-thrus.

Prior to joining the ranks of parenthood, I partook in the convenience of the drive-thru, but did not mark it as one of life's necessities -- up there with running water and electricity -- until now.

Having experienced 10 months of parenting, I have a great appreciation for the beauty of purchasing items without ever leaving my vehicle. This has become even more of a luxury since we retired the infant/bucket car seat at five months and my 25-pound child had to be wrestled in and out of the car seat for each stop.

What would have been a five minute grocery store stop pre-kid now throws me into an internal debate: "Do I really need those scallions for the recipe? He's sleeping. Is it worth hauling him out? Oh screw it, we don't need the onions." 

And yes, I will admit, as this debate goes on I do wonder if I could just leave him in the car. It's only five minutes, the scallions are 30 feet from the front entrance which is 20 feet from my car, I'll be quick, etc., etc.

Of course I don't do that (there are so many reasons why this would be a bad, bad choice -- kidnapping, suffocation, police, jail, the label of horrible, neglectful mother forever), and this is what has led me to see that the world would benefit from more drive-thrus.

Wouldn't it be great if your grocery store had a drive through for small items - milk, bread, eggs? Or if Target had a drive up to get your photos or a package of diapers? In Sun Prairie, Wis., there was a drive-thru liquor store -- I used to think that was just a way for alcoholics to mainline their Milwaukee's Best faster, but now it seems genius to me.

Sure Walgreen's has a drive-thru for your prescriptions, but what if you could bribe the pharmacist to grab you a bottle of Pedialyte, a can of formula and the diapers that your sick kid is busting through? It would be the bright spot in your vomit-filled day.