I HATE going to the med center! (vent session)

Olivia had an appointment today with her endocrinologist, which is unfortunately downtown in the med center. For those of you not familiar with Houston, this is a 35-45 minute drive one way. The drive I can get over, it is the compilation of everything else along with the drive that stresses me out. The med center area is very confusing and also under construction. So once you get there, you better know where you're going because with the one way streets, bike only lanes, Metro railway and detours, you are screwed if you make a wrong turn! This was my 3rd trip down there so at least I knew where I was going. The parking garage is the 2nd hurdle because it is ALWAYS full and today we ended up on the 7th (out of 8) floors. I was getting worried we weren't going to find a space and I had to stalk a woman to even get a spot!!! So, once we get parked, I load Jacob & Olivia up in the stroller with all our gear and head to the elevators. Now one would think that you would get on the elevator and head immediately to the floor where you need to go. WRONG. We are in the parking garage remember?? So we have to go down 7 flights to the 1st floor, get out, walk through the building, across the street and into the next building. Now we get to get on a 2nd set of elevators but have to be careful to not get on the wrong ones. One set only goes to certain floors of which ours is not included. So again, we are back on the elevator and this time going up 5 flights to the doctor's office. Whew! We are finally here and I am already exhausted. Now its the "hurry up and wait" game. We always have to wait a really long time to get called back and keeping Jacob occupied is always a challenge. He had snacks and he brought 2 hotwheels to play with but was more interested in playing the "Lets Ask Mommy 50 questions game"! I know it is the age, but he is just so curious about EVERYTHING!! Why this, why that, how come, when, why, etc etc. Although I am thrilled he is learning and wants to know about his world, it is draining, especially when you are trying to be patient waiting in a doctor's office. Also by this point, poor Olivia is ready for a nap so I am trying to keep her from fussing! After a LONG hour of waiting, we finally get called back. And Jacob immediately starts shouting "It's our turn! It's our turn!" Yes, thank goodness it is our turn! Olivia gets weighed and measured and then its back to the room to wait some more! Just what we wanted to do, right? Thankfully the room we were in had an outside window and race cars on the wall so Jacob had new things to look at. Olivia was fussy because by this point the poor baby had been up for 3 hours so I am holding her and had JUST got her to sleep when the doctor walks in. Just my luck! But she did amazingly well during the exam and was even smiling at the doctor. The visit lasted about 10 minutes (all this waiting for THAT) and then we are free to leave. So now, we head to the check-out where I get to make the next appointment in 3 months. Which I can't stand to make, because I don't want to even think about having to do this all over again! Next, we have to go have her blood work done in the lab downstairs. So we load up n the stroller, get back on the elevator and go back to the 1st floor. I get turned around and take us the wrong way, so after a little "exploring" we make it to the lab office. Again, we have to wait and by this point it is lunchtime so Jacob is telling me every 2 minutes how hungry and thirsty he is. There is another family waiting with 2 boys. The younger one looks to be about 2, is running around the room and has a chili-bowl haircut that has grown out and needs to be cut. So, Jacob mistakenly thinks he is a SHE and loudly asks me (while pointing) "What is that girl doing?" Yeah, more embarrassing! So I pretend to not hear him as I browse through my magazine. 30 seconds later, its "Mommy, what is that girl doing?" so I decide I have to address the issue and correct him. I tell him #1 its not nice to point, #2 that the girl is actually a boy and #3 to stop talking about HIM! Thankfully we were called not to soon after that. Olivia had her labs after poking both arms to get blood (poor baby!) I told the woman that the left arm is best but she wouldn't listen, what do moms know?! And so now 2 1/2 hours later we are finally DONE!! Keeping with the tradition of nothing being simple, we look for a place to eat since we are starving and there is only a deli which has nothing Jacob will eat. So, its to the parking garage to get in the car and find somewhere else. With, might I add, a stop to pay the $9 parking ticket for the garage! Ugghhh! Once more we are back on the elevator, go up 7 stories and eventually make it back to the car. It is now 12:30 and my appointment was at 10:00 if this gives you any indication of the frustration level at this point. After getting out of the twisty turny garage, I miss our turn (b/c of construction) and end up heading down Main Street. I have no clue where I am going but am praying that a fast food place is close by. And voila! There's Wendys!!! Boy, was I happy to see that! I excitedly pull in the parking lot and head straight back to what I thought was the drive thru lane. But why would it be?? They have a barricade there and you can't get through. So I have to back up, turn around in this itty bitty parking lot where there is man standing at the back of his truck talking on his cell phone in my way. I am trying to back up and he is right behind me. As I am backing, I am getting closer and closer to him and he is still jabbering away. He has no clue that he is about to be hit by a hungry woman and 2 children! I end up having to roll down my window, yell at him and he finally turns around to realize my back bumper is in his face! So, I back out and go around to the drive thru! Again--uuggghhhh! We make it through, and get our food, yummy. After making an illegal turn, I found my way back to the street I needed to be on and we are headed home. I guess the day wore the kids out too because Olivia slept the whole way home and Jacob went right to sleep as soon as we got here. At 2:30 we finally arrived home! Only 5 and a half hours later! Thank goodness we don't go back to that doctor until April!