Three Years & Six Months

This year and next, I get the fortune of being able to combine Alex’s and Nate’s well baby visits at the pediatrician’s office. We split the difference and went two weeks after Alex’s birthday and one week before Nate is officially six months. Still, everything is right on target. Everything went wonderfully, despite feeling like I had to constantly explain myself for Alex’s clothing (by not really explaining so much as loudly exclaiming to Alex for the parents around me to hear “After the doctor’s we go to PAJAMA DAY at school!” by which I hoped and prayed the other parents heard “she is not a moron for having her three year old in pajamas at 9 am in public.” But I digress.). Alex is such a big boy, so curious and polite. He cooperated fully with being weighed (32.5 pounds, right at the 50th percentile) and measured (37.75 inches, right at the 50th percentile) and even for getting his blood pressure and temperature taken. I just matter-of-factly explained what was going on, and he sat quietly and chattered with the nurse, charming her. He didn’t even flinch when she did a little blood draw from his finger to run a CBC. He just counted each drop she took and marveled over the band-aid she gave him. Good job Alex! The doctor was very impressed with his ability to follow directions and his speech, too. When the exam was over, Alex put his sneakers back on all by himself!

Nate is also in good shape. He smiled and laughed during his weigh-in (16 pounds, 3 ounces, 40th percentile) and head mesurement (17.25 inches, 50th percentile) and length measurement (26.75 inches, 60th percentile). He screamed bloody murder duing his shots, but recovered just fine with some nursing. At which point, Alex repeated over and over again “it’s OK, baby Nate, you need the shot so you don’t get sick!” We are going to do one follow up appointment with a specialist just to make sure the little heart murmer she detected isn’t anything, but otherwise, we are good to go until his 9 month appointment.

As we were checking out, Alex very politely asked “may I please have a lolipop, please Mommy?” and how can one resist such a request? The ladies behind the counter all dropped their jaws at how polite he is. It made me really proud. He even listened well to my direction that he had to hold the lolipop in his hand and not in his mouth as we walked to the car.

All in all, a good appointment, for both of my strong, healthy boys!