Our First Family Outing

To set the scene for our first afternoon out as a family of four...

Medela pump-n-style used in Gazebo on Seminary Road
Emergency Rations of Applesauce and Cheesy puffs
Unseasonably Hot Afternoon and Sweatpants

Yes, you heard correctly. We had quite the family outing on Wednesday. It all started with Luke's first doctor's visit, which was scheduled for 11:20. Not the best time for a family with a toddler who naps at 12:30, but it was the only time available with one of our favorite pediatricians. So, off we go in a car full of Turners. Luke's visit went very well, and he is gaining weight nicely. James actually fell asleep during the doctor's visit on John's shoulder. Poor kiddo is tired from all the extra excitement.

So far the story doesn't sound too unusual. But wait... Luke's doctor wants to check on his bilirubin levels to monitor his fight with Jaundice. We need to do this ASAP. Luckily, she says there is a lab in the building that will be able to save us a trip to the outpatient lab at the hospital. Great, right! Nope, this magical office in the building is closed for a "special" meeting. They closed minutes before we arrived. This means the whole family is now off for a nice trip to the hospital. Goodie.

Off we go. James and Luke are both asleep in their carseats when we arrive, so John drops Luke and I off at the front door and goes to park and let James sleep. In we go and Luke and I seriously walk all over the hospital to first check in and then to find the outpatient lab. My back is hurting and Luke and I are both sweating (remember the sweatpants - I must have missed the weather report), but I am a determined mama, so we soldier on. We get to the outpatient lab, and watch the one lab tech slowly draw blood on the two people ahead of us before it is our turn. Time check: 1:15. Luke is overdue for his feeding. A quick call to John confirms James is still asleep, and also overdue for lunch. John and I are not bright eyed ourselves, having gotten up with Luke all during the night.

Finally it is Luke's turn and he sleeps through the entire ordeal of getting his blood drawn. He wakes up as we are walking through the endless hospital maze back to the front entrance. No problem, I have a bottle ready. We sit at the front door and wait for daddy to pick us up. Daddy arrives, Luke is barely getting started on his bottle...and I realize. Our back seat is full, I can't just hop in and feed Luke as we drive. So I walk out to John and say I need to finish Luke's feeding. This is a problem.

Lucky for me, John has a great solution. He spots a gazebo in the grass across the hospital parking lot and says that is probably a good spot for us to feed the boys. Luke and I trudge up the hill to the gazebo.....the gazebo has no benches. No problem, we'll just sit on the ground. James and Daddy arrive and James get's an assortment of snacks that we dig out of our diaper bags. Luke finishes his bottle. The boys are fed. Mommy and Daddy have been munching on 100 calorie granola bars. Everyone has something in their tummy, but Mommy desperately needs to use the Medela pump-in-style.

To make a long story even longer, there we sit in the gazebo with no benches looking onto afternoon traffic on Seminary Road. James is running around pointing out all the buses. John is singing countless verses to "wheels on the bus." Luke is happily sleeping and mama has a receiving blanket draped oh-so casually across her front as she discretely pumps so Luke will be ready for his next feeding. Not quite the planned first picnic with my boys that I had envisioned... but today proved if we can get through this chaos without loosing our minds, we can do anything.

And to top off this long story, here is a picture of sweet baby Luke.