Our first trip to church

Merry Christmas Eve!  As we gear up to head to a wonderful Christmas Eve service of carols and lessons, I realized I never documented our first trip to church a few weeks ago.

I was both excited for and dreading it: our first trip to church after Addison was born.  Excited of course, for her to meet her church family, so many of whom have supported Danny and me in so many ways.  Dreading it because the service falls right during one of her morning nap and feeding times, so I was a little unsure on how we could make it through without one or both of those events.

We arrived a bit late (of course) and snuck in the back to an aisle seat "just in case we needed to get up."  Haha!  Addie was sleeping soundly, and I was feeling really optimistic.

Sweet baby A had an extreme diaper blowout about 10 minutes into the service. Like, woke her up from her nap crying.  I picked her up and there was poop all the way up her back and down the legs of her adorable outfit. Not so adorable. Soo I grab the diaper bag, go out in the hall.. and panic because I don't know where to go. Into the women's bathroom I run, and change her on this little piano bench in there, kneeling on the ground in my dress pants. Only to find I have brought no extra clothes for her except for a nightgown! On goes the nightgown, and we head back into the service, slightly embarrassed that my cute girl is making her church debut in a nightgown.

Two minutes later, she decides that she's hungry, so out I rush again (crying sounds REALLY loud in a silent auditorium, especially when it's your baby making the cries, FYI). I briefly consider the nursery, but it's kinda far away, so we head back into the bathroom. I scoot the piano bench into the handicapped stall and yes, feed my daughter, dressed in a nightgown, in a bathroom stall.

It was a low moment for both of us.

It got slightly worse when I emerged and an older lady saw us, thought I was a visitor and kept apologizing profusely that this was "my first time at church and I had to nurse in the bathroom." I was so frazzled I didn't even bother correcting her that in fact I've gone to this church for 27 years.

Danny and I decided to cut our losses and scram during the closing prayer so we wouldn't get caught up in a million conversations afterward - though we had really hoped to talk with everyone! By this time Addie hadn't napped thanks to all the activity, so she was on the verge of a meltdown (occurred in the car driving home).

In summary, here's what I learned:

1) Take extra clothes for baby. Not night clothes, real clothes.
2) The bathroom, though unequipped, is actually OK for diaper changing.
3) The bathroom is not OK for nursing.
4) If she must eat, walk the extra few steps to the nursery - I hear there's a more private area with couches (though obviously I haven't actually used them yet). I think I may ask for a listening device in the future too, so I can hear the sermon while I'm out.
5) Expect that until I'm willing to part with her and put her in the nursery (um, NEVER!! jk, one day I'll let go of my iron grip... Maybe.), I will not hear more than about 5 minutes - 5 disjointed minutes at that - of a sermon. This is OK. (again, reason for the listening device)

Needless to say, the following week we found a reason that we just HAD to stay home and listen to a sermon from iTunes.  And as we head out tonight (and tomorrow morning), you better believe I'll be more prepared!