Penelope,
You were great at the doctors office today. Probably better than I was at your age.
The night before we told you “tomorrow we’re going to the doctor. Mommy, daddy, and Penelope. When we get to the doctor’s all of us are getting shots.” I acted out the action, depressing the non-existent syringe We told you in advance because neither of us would feel right if we said “it won’t hurt”, knowing it would.
This morning you woke up early. We could hear you over the baby monitor saying “GOOD MORNING” as cheerful as the sun in the sky. We got you up, made breakfast, and got ready to go. You were in a great mood as we drove to the doctors office. Your mother and I wondered if you would be “dry” when we got there. Imagine our delight when you said “yellow” when we walked in the office. Momma took you to the bathroom and you went! In fact, you didn’t have any “accidents” all day.
We were called back and asked to have you weighed and get your height. You were 33.5 lbs. and 36″ tall. I told your mother I knew you weighed more because it’s getting more difficult to hold you for a long time. We were brought to the room and had our temperature taken. Our blood pressure readings were great. I wondered for a moment whether or not she was going to take yours, if there was a micro version of the arm band. Alas, it didn’t happen.
We waited in the room. You lay on the table and swam on the paper, climbed, and jumped. When the doctor came in you had to make yellow again. Mamma took you to the bathroom while the doctor told me what shots you would need. He also said you needed to be tested for Hepatitis B since there was some question about your records from China. He asked if we wanted to do all of this today or come back just to have your blood taken. “Let’s do it all today. No need to drag it out” I said.
When you came back you drank so much water we thought you were sure to need another bathroom break in minutes. Doctor Reznik asked if your speech was coming along. We asked you some questions and you said “water” and “boken” (broken). He understood and told us that if we could understand 50% of what you said there was nothing to worry about regarding your speech. We understand 90% of what you say so that’s great.
As you now know, we raised you as a pescetarian (a vegetarian that eats fish). Some people wonder how healthy you can be eating like this. The doctor said you were in the 90th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height and very healthy. This was great news.
And then it was time. The doctor left and the nurse came back with two handfulls of needles. Yes, two handfulls. Two for mama, two for daddy, and four for you. I went first, lying in the table and turning my head, telling you again you would do the same thing after mama. Mama got her shots, then we lay you down on the table. I held your hand and mama spoke to you with the monkey sock puppet. The nurse took two small vials of blood. She said you were the first child she had drawn blood from that didn’t cry! I held you, shielding you from looking at the needle in your arm. A tear formed in your eye but you never cried.
Finally, the nurse rolled up both of your pants legs. You got two shots in your left leg and one in your right. Like the last time you got shots your mouth opened wide but no sound came out for a few seconds. Then you erupted. When the nurse was done I picked you up and held you close, mama soothing you by kissing your cheeks, drying your tears, and smoothing your hair. In less than a minute you stopped crying and we were going home.
