This morning started last night, when Jared woke up crying. We concluded that he was probably sick, since he woke up every hour after that until midnight. This morning I arose at 6am to the sound of pouring rain and a wakeful, congested Jared. Ironically, it's Allison who had the doctor's appointment today. Here's the morning from my perspective:
8:00 Call Julianne to tell her Jared can't come play with Justin--he's sick. I'll have to take him to the doctor with me.
9:25 Time to get ready for our ten o'clock appointment. "We're going to the doctor," I explain to Jared. When we get home we can have cheese sandwiches for lunch." He is excited to go out into the rain; he hands me his shoes. I get his jacket, my jacket, Allison's car seat cover and a blanket, the diaper bag, EXTRA special snacks for Jared to eat at the doctor's office, the umbrella stroller, the Moby wrap, and my wallet. Jared actually agrees to sit in the umbrella stroller: a miracle.
I flick Jared's hood over his head and close the peek hole on Allison's car seat cover. How to carry everything? I put the car seat handle in the crook of my right arm, hold the umbrella with my right hand, balance the diaper bag on my right shoulder, and try to steer the umbrella stroller with my left hand. Everyone ready? I open the front door and we stepped out into the deluge. I duck my head and push. Made it out the door. Made it down the front step. Made it--PUDDLE! Forgot about that one. It gets six feet long and an inch or two deep in heavy rain. (This is heavy rain.) Can't go over it, can't go under it, have to go through it. Splash, splosh! Splash splosh! (Hope Jared enjoyed that.) We make it the rest of the way to the car. Glance at Allison: she's covered well. Glance at Jared: his pants are soaked through! Wipe a wet strand of hair from my cheek and pull my keys from my pocket. Three minutes later we're loaded and driving out of the parking lot.
We have to take a detour from the normal route (you've gotta love construction), so getting there takes twice as long. But we left early--pat ourselves on the back. The rain pours down and runs off the streets. I'm grateful for our car.
Here's the clinic parking lot; we find a relatively close spot. I look back at the kids: they are both asleep. What a pity to wake a new baby and a sick toddler. Five minutes later, Allison is in the Moby wrap, wiggling from the wet and the wind. I promise pretzels, and a drippy Jared consents to get into the stroller. No point in bringing the umbrella now. We run toward the clinic doors, the diaper bag bouncing against my hip. Once inside, I get a glance of my reflection in a window. Nice just-out-of-the-shower look.
The appointment goes well. "She's so calm!" marvels the nurse. "She's so mellow! And what a perfect head shape." declares the doctor. Wiping Jared's nose, I thank them. Shots are hard on baby, harder on Mom. It is pitiful to see her cry--probably louder than she's ever cried in all her lifetime combined. But soon it's over. Allison gets kisses and Jared gets a sticker. Time to go home. We load up and get to the exit. Has it stopped raining yet? The automatic doors open. Nope. Still pouring. Out we go.
Once in our parking spot at home, I take a deep breath. Time to do the rigmarole once more. I pull out the wet--not damp--stroller, the diaper bag, and Allison, snug in her car seat. Walk around to Jared's side. He's fast asleep. I undo the buckles from around his sopping jacket and begin to pull him out. He wakes up and cries. I give him a kiss, then plop him into the puddled stroller seat and drive him onto the curb. I wonder how deep that big puddle is now... No matter. At least we have warm, dry clothes and cheese sandwiches waiting at home.
