Stomach Bug/Lice Check/Who Is This Child? (Cricket’s 9 Mo and E.V.’s 2.5 Yr Dr Appts)

NO1_0897

Earlier this week our house got struck with the stomach bug, which, to save you the mental picture, let’s just say was yucky. I had the worst of it over a 27-hour period, E.V. got a slightly more mild case, and Cricket? Well, by some sort of miracle (or so we thought) she was as happy as could be while everyone else was doubled over.

I had the girls’ 9-month and 30-month well visits with the pediatrician fortuitously scheduled the day after we were all sick, and so less than 12 hours after the last barf, I trudged my worn-out-but-healthy toddler to the doctor with her happy baby sister by her side. In talking with the pediatrician about our experience, she said that we had a case of the rotavirus going around — which, it turns out, babies are vaccinated against! So Cricket’s miraculous health turned out to be a miracle of modern science. (Since E.V. had been vaccinated a couple years ago, we have medicine to thank for her abbreviated sickness as well.) We’ve been careful with our vaccination choices and scheduling, but this week counts as a win for the Pro-Vaccine movement.

This visit was the first combined venture for Cricket and Emma Vance (in the name of efficiency). It was also the first time I really felt like Cricket was aware of her surroundings, probably because she’s standing up and able to explore more nowadays. She discovered the doctor’s fish tank, the books in the waiting room and the otoscope hung on the exam room wall. She was practically a kid, keeping up with her sister’s usual mischief. ;) In fact, Cricket was the more adventurous of the two this time around, it seemed, probably because she cruised around the waiting room exploring while E.V. colored like crazy all over the evaluation sheets quietly. Oops! Ha!

We LOVE our pediatrician, and she’s great with our kids. Emma Vance was up first, and before she would let the doctor check her out, E.V. insisted the pediatrician draw her a walrus. (Seriously.) The doctor laughed at her own lack of art skills and let Emma Vance waste half a pad of prescription paper drawing toddler-version walruses with a brown marker. (My little artist!) The rest of E.V.’s exam was fairly ordinary: She’s grown two inches and gained 3.5 pounds in the past six months, which is normal. She’s currently 35.5″ tall (40th percentile) and 28.5 lbs. (50th percentile) now at two-and-a-half-years old. The only notable thing about the exam was that midway through, the doctor began combing around E.V.’s hair with a look of concern.

“It looks like E.V. has some flakes in her hair.”

I agreed and explained that due to cold weather boredom and because we’d been sick, she’d taken numerous baths and showers over the past week and that her skin was subsequently drier than normal. The doctor kept looking.

“Well, I’m just checking around a bit because lice also leave what looks like dandruff in the hair.”

What?!?

I. About. Died. Talk about the worst two minutes EVER. I’ve never had lice, and I realize that with two little kids in my life that it’s bound to happen sooner than later, but I. Just. Can’t. Even. I mean, no. No. NO. NO. I can’t do lice. I just can’t. I won’t.

Thankfully after making me squirm for what seemed like fooooorever, the pediatrician declared Emma Vance lice free and I breathed a sigh of relief. Whew. Crisis averted. Next time E.V.’s set to get a lice check, I’m going to need some moral support to get through it. Or at least a margarita. ;)

Cricket’s turn with the doctor was quick and easy. She’s on track mentally and physically for her age, up-to-date  on her vaccines ;) and overall just a happy, healthy baby. I say everything was normal, but, oh wait, there are her stats — which made my jaw about drop on the floor. My child, my child, is in the 90th percentile for height and 50th for weight. (Again — what?!?) My children are short and chubby, NOT tall and lean! I mean, good for her, but that was clearly not what I was expecting to hear. She weighs 18.7 lbs (+1.3 lbs.), is 29.5 inches tall (+2.5 inches) her head is 45.5 cm (+1.7 cm). I mean, at least her head stat is in line with my other giant-headed child, but, my goodness, who is this child? ;)

NO1_0599NO1_0600 NO1_0844 NO1_0856 NO1_0860 NO1_0868 NO1_0879 NO1_0883 NO1_0881NO1_0884NO1_0888NO1_0889 NO1_0893 NO1_0898

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *