4 year old check up

9 months late. They were due for 5 shots today, but none scheduled for their 5 year old appointment coming up in, well, three months. You know we'll push that one late, too. We did with their 3 year old one, too.

It isn't really like I try to, but late November is a hard time to coordinate schedules with holiday time between pre-school events, doctors on vacation, Lew's work schedule... so, I wait until January no matter what. This year, we just all missed our appointments because Lew's plant had that fire. Once that hit, he spent so much time at work and still has beefed up meeting schedule. It's hard to get him to watch the kids so I can go to an appointment or hard to get him to tag along.

Anyway, we saved 2 of the potential 5 shots from today for that next appointment. They will get them prior to kindergarten. Both shots said "needed between 4 and 6 years of age." The nurse wanted us to get all 5 today because our way means the kids will think they get shots every time they come to the doctor. My kids could care less about stuff like that. They love going to the health department and we have only been there for one thing: shots. Shots that come with a sticker and a lollipop. Now today, I forgot the stickers I had pulled out in case the doctor didn't have any (which they didn't) but it was still OK because they got fancy bandaids. Problem solved. The doctor had no issue whatsoever with us delaying the shots. He asked, "May I ask your reasoning?" and once we answered, "Why give them 5 today and 0 the next time. Let's save a live virus one for next year and one other." He said, "Sounds good to me." I wonder what answer he was looking for that wasn't going to be good to him. Maybe he just wanted to be sure we had a reason. Any reason.

Gretchen cried more because the nurse directed her to the closest bathroom which had a Finding Nemo theme in it. She wanted to go down the hallway to the Little Mermaid bathroom.


So, the exciting stats of 2 kids who are 4 years, 9 months, 1 week and 4 days old today:

Carl: 47 lbs (89%), 45.25" (95%), bmi 16.10 (70%) = good

Gretchen: 38 lbs (46%), 42.75" (69%), bmi 14.60 (31%) = good


**They are napping now. I will take a photo of them later (because Angela says a post without pictures is a crime). I wished I had my camera in the exam room to snap a shot of them in their little robes.

OK - back with the photos. I set the camera up on the tripod and let them use the remote for themselves on some. They loved it. Still didn't smile a ton, but maybe they'll get better at that. Ha!!

If you know your Noggin characters, you'll recognize Peppa and George Pig on their shirts. It's a cartoon short that plays between shows and they have always loved it. I appliqued the shirts for them myself. It was Carl's request today that they wear them.

Notice Carl has new school sneakers. Size 1!!! Gretchen is still wearing her size 10s, but Carl has graduated to the real kid sizes! I wish they made Disney shoes that big. He would love something Toy Story or Cars, but the only characters you find in those sizes are way too old and violent for him. Oh well. He loves this new pair of sneakers. He says "They are like Grammie's!" Her new sneakers have some mesh and shiny silver on them just like these do. The funny thing is I bought the same exact pair as Mom did, but Carl doesn't think his new sneakers look like mine, just Mom's!