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Monday, July 21, 2008

Rachel at 12 months

This morning was Rachel's 12 month check-up. We skipped her 9 month appointment because the nurse said we didn't need it, so we haven't been to the doctor for 6 months. Rachel found the whole thing new and scary.

She didn't want anything to do with the nurse. I've decided that medicine, at least for well-baby visits, is not an exact science. How can it be when the patient is squirming all over the place?

I sat Rachel on the scale and she screamed and hit at the nurse while she was weighed.

She's 19 lbs., 12 oz. now, give or take an ounce or two, which means she's in the 25th-50th percentile.

"That's close enough," said the nurse.

Now I know why they invented digital scales. One of those would have been useful for Rachel.

Getting measured was just as difficult. Rachel just did not want to lie down, and certainly didn't want that nurse around. She's 30.5 inches long, give or take, which means she's in the 95th percentile.

Our doctor, Maynard Olsen, came in soon after the nurse left. Rachel didn't like him one bit, either, although he tried to be nice.

"Should we listen to you with this?" he asked, showing her his stethoscope, "Let's listen to mommy first."

He put the stethoscope on my arm, then on my knee, then on my head.

"Mommy sounds good. Now let's listen to you!"

He put the stethoscope on her arm. She screamed and slapped it away.

He put the stethoscope on her leg. She kicked at him, still screaming.

He put the stethoscope on her chest. She threw a fit.

The appointment continued like that. I don't think I've ever seen Rachel so upset.

When the doctor left, Rachel still didn't calm down. She wanted out of that room. She went up to the door and stood on her tip toes and reached for the handle. She pounded on the door. She screamed and she screamed and she screamed.

Finally, I opened the door. There were some kids in the hallway waiting for their mom. Rachel played with them until the nurse came, loaded up with all her shiny needles.

We went back into the room and Rachel immediately started screaming. I put her on the table and tried to get her to lie down. She refused. She kicked. She screamed. She arched her back.

Our nurse called for backup. It took three of us to hold Rachel down while she got her shots. She was not happy about it at all.

She cried until we were out in the waiting room. There, she put on her most pitiful face and pouted at all the patrons, tears still glistening in her eyes.

"Shots today," I explained.

Everyone nodded sympathetically. We had to stop by the desk and pick up a copy of her immunization record from our nurse. When Rachel saw her, a new wave of tears started. She screamed in terror until we were outside.

It was quite ridiculous. I'm glad we won't have to go back anytime soon.

Other than screaming, here are some things Rachel enjoys doing now that she's a year old:
  • Singing the Itsy-bitsy Spider. She can do all the actions.
  • Saying prayers
  • Hissing like a snake
  • Walking up and down (and up and down and up and down) stairs
  • Using the phone
  • Taking leisurely naps
  • Kissing baby boys
  • Playing outside
  • Poking herself
  • Swimming/bath time
  • Climbing on everything
  • Pulling everything out of the kitchen cupboards
  • Jumping on the bed/the couch/trampolines
  • Petting kitties
  • Dancing
  • Taking everything out of Daddy's wallet

She's such a fun baby! We can't wait to see what next year brings!

2 comments:

  1. I remember one time taking all three kids for shots. Deklan was three and a half, Piper was two and a half, and Kai was, well a baby. The nurse said "Okay Deklan! You're the big boy why don't you show your sister and brother how it's done!" I said: "Uh, Piper, why don't you go first?" The nurse looked at me, I looked at her shrugged my shoulders and smiled. "Okay Piper!" She said overly enthusiastically. "How about you go first!" Piper stood patiently, and watched while the nurse poked her in the arms a couple of times, picked out bandaids and stickers and went back to playing. "Okay Deklan!" The nurse said. "Malachi! It's your turn!" I gently pushed Malachi towards the nurse. He got poked a couple of times, squawked a bit and then bundled into his carseat. Deklan I had to sit on my lap, wrap my legs around him and my arms in a modified body styled straitjacket way. He screamed, and he screamed, and he screamed. The nurse stuck him with a needle and he screamed louder (if that was even possible!) The nurse looked at me, I looked at her over Deklan's head and gave a knowing smile.
    (are you kidding me, Piper tries everything first at our house!)

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  2. That's really funny. I'm sure they aren't funny stories when they're happening... and Rachel sounds, like, well, like she's a year old! Go, Rachel!

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