We’ve had some terrible storms around the Turner household today, mainly coming from Travis. He didn’t sleep much at all last night, which means we didn’t sleep much at all. I’d say from 4 AM to 7 AM was our only stretch. Hallie seemed to sleep fine, however.

Travis is still in great pain. We figured out he must have a groin injury since he complains less when we lift his legs along with his body. If his legs dangle on their own he screams in agony. It’s not fun for anyone.

We got a morning appointment with his pediatrician. The doctor focused on the areas around his upper legs. We were given instructions for dispensing ibuprofen to him but no real advice beyond that. The ER doctor said that he may have been up and about today but that didn’t happen by a long shot. The pediatrician said 36 to 48 hours but we’re convinced that is optimistic. I’m beginning to worry that its not a simple pulled muscle, or strain, or sprain. I’m wondering if he didn’t injure his muscles more seriously. Certainly he’s expressing pain he’s never felt before in his young life. It’s so tough to hear.

That’s not to say that we didn’t have our moments today. Travis is usually happy when he’s seated. In his high chair we can get smiles out of him. He’s also “talking” to us much more, using his signs again too. Kelly even got him sitting up by himself on the playroom floor, from which position he even tried to crawl. It was encouraging to see him making some progress, but he’s still got a long way to go.

I hope he gets a good night’s sleep tonight and gives his muscles some rest. It’s incredibly tough to see our Big Guy having such a rough time. He’s such an easygoing, happy, charming little boy by nature. We can’t wait to get our guy back!

I got back from my Seattle trip at 7 PM but I’m just now beginning to relax. Why, you ask? Because we’ve spent most of the evening at WakeMed hospital.

I had left the airport and was two miles from being home when my cellphone rang. A frantic Kelly was telling me something about “Travis” and “hospital.” Travis was screaming in the background. I hung up and raced home to see what had happened.

Hallie met me at the door but my welcome hug to her was brief. Kelly told me Travis had slipped, hurt his leg somehow and wasn’t standing on his own. I had time to drop off my bag, put Hallie into her coat, and race with them to the hospital.

WakeMed North is at the other end of Durant, basically where I was when Kelly first called me. We bundled T up, checked in at the desk, and were soon waiting in the back for the doctor on duty to check him out.

Kelly put Travis on her chest, which seemed to calm him down tremendously. I walked around with Hallie on my feet to entertain her, then took her back so we could all play “I Spy” in the hospital room. Once Travis got comfortable, he actually gave some weak smiles, pointed to the light above the table, did some baby signs, and looked around quietly with a pitiful look of pain on his face.

X-rays taken didn’t show any sign of broken bones. The doc’s diagnosis is a sprain somewhere. We’re not exactly sure just where, as the doctor poked him up and down but couldn’t get a reaction. So, we were told to let him sleep tonight and see how he’s feeling in the morning. If he still has trouble standing, we’ll take him back in.

What a way to welcome Daddy home, huh?

[Update] Looks like Kelly posted her account on the Hallie and Travis page.

I’m in Seattle (Bellevue, to be exact) now after a day of traveling. Weather is actually nicer here than in Raleigh.

Though I’ve made the trip countless times, I will always be in awe of the ability to start the day on one end of the continent and end it on the other. It’s amazing how small technology has made the world.

My birthday weekend is wrapping up. Its been a good one, too. Friday was a fun evening spent with the family, though Kelly and I were too wiped to watch a movie or do much else after the kids went to bed. Thus it was pretty quiet.

Saturday morning was one spent dozing a bit in bed, though sleeping late has come to mean 7:30 now that we’re parents. A breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon soon followed, cooked up by Chef Kelly and her Noisy Chef assistant, Hallie.

After a good meal, we plotted the day’s activities. Rain was on the way, so my first choice of a family hike was out of the question. Instead, we packed up the kids and headed for the N.C. Museum of Natural Science. We spent the whole morning there chasing after gleeful kids, not minding the rain outside.

After getting home for lunch, the kids took their naps and so did the adults. I wound up sleeping 90 minutes, far beyond my usual nap, though I felt quite refreshed afterward. We were running out of time to get ready for our evening concert, so I spent the next hour finding a suit that still fits.

My parents (and Scott, who would be joining us) arrived soon after we got the kids up from their naps. After giving my parents the “plan of the day,” we said goodnight to the kids and headed out the door. We ate and got drinks at the Rockford before dashing to Memorial Auditorium for the symphony.

The symphony featured Edgar Meyer, a celebrated bassist. In my rush to get tickets, it didn’t even register who he was until five minutes into his performance. Meyer is the talented bassist who plays with Yo Yo Ma and Mark O’Connor on two CDs I love, Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey. To see him playing five rows in front of us was just incredible. I walked around the entire evening with a stupid grin on my face!

After a good night’s sleep, we woke again around 7 and were once again faced with a rainy day. It was breakfast and then a trip to the N.C. Art Museum, where we marched around outside before warming up in the children’s play area of the museum.

After lunch, I met Jeff over at my parents’ house to help move furniture. Then it was back home for the kids’ naptimes, after which I hit the road for some volunteer work in Durham for the Rhine. Then it was playtime with the kids, dinner, bath time for the kids, and finally bedtime for the kids. Whew!

Now I need to finish packing for my trip to Seattle tomorrow. Fortunately, I’ve got a good biography on Benjamin Franklin to read on the long plane flights there and back.

See y’all on the flipside.

Today is my birthday (along with my twin bro Allen). I’ve got a birthday breakfast being cooked up by my wife and daughter. I’ve got a son marching around making sure I don’t get too far away from my birthday cards. I’ve got a gorgeous, springlike morning in which to go hiking with my family.

I’ve got a plastic sled gift from Hallie, amusing in light of the gorgeous, springlike morning. I’ve got a weekend to look forward to at the America’s Sail in July.

Later this evening, I’ve got a symphony to attend with my lovely wife. We’ll be sitting so close that we’ll be bringing our flute and piano along, just in case.

Life is good.

The new office backs up to Lake Johnson Park. I can look out my window and see the wooded side of the lake. It’s so peaceful.

I lived at the neighboring Wildwoods of Lake Johnson apartments for three years and loved it. I still miss sitting on that screen porch, watching the woods and sky as thunderstorms moved through on summer evenings. That park will always be a special place to me. Its nice to see it every day again.

As I walked into the building after a lunch run yesterday, I heard a loud screeching above me. A hawk of some variety was perched above the third floor, looking regally over his domain. Though my lunch was getting cold, I couldn’t help but stop and admire that bird.

I’m going to like coming to the office.