Sometimes My Kids Surprise Me

Well, as I mentioned before, last Friday I had an appointment for all three kids at the pediatrician's. I was dreading it a little bit because my kids all hate going to the doctors. I mean, ever since they were babies they would cry when we walked into the waiting room. It's like they knew exactly where they were and what was going to happen.

I tried to explain to the kids what would probably happen there beforehand, hoping that it would help. The kids are finally getting old enough to reason with, which is wonderful! The doctor took a while before coming into our room, but the kids all cooperated without a struggle! I couldn't believe it! These are kids who would wiggle and cry when the doctor checked their ears and wouldn't even stand on the scale for the nurses. Everything went smoothly and we found out that they are all growing well.

The boring stats, if you'd like to skip it:

Jonah only gained three pounds since last year which put him down in the 25th percentile now from the 35th. He grew 3.5 inches, putting him up in the 45th percentile from the 30th. I can't believe he only gained three pounds. I was really hoping he'd be 40 lbs. so I could put him in a booster car seat.

Eden also only gained three pounds since last year and she is still close to the 50th percentile for weight. Last year for height she was at 95th percentile, but she only grew 2.75 inches and is at 87% for height.

Levi gained two pounds in the last five months and he's still around 50th percentile. He grew about 3.5 inches in those five months and shot from 65th percentile to 85th for height. He's also growing into that big noggin of his and went from 80% on his head to 65%.

Eden didn't even have to get any shots, but Levi needed one and poor Jonah needed five, plus the doctor recommended a TB skin test. They ended up giving Jonah only four shots because I guess that the HIB shot is on a nationwide shortage. Fine with me! The poor kid had a shot in each limb, plus his skin test. I thought it was hard holding down my babies when the nurses vaccinated them, but it's not near as bad as holding a four-year-old! I cried when they were done and hugged him like he was my baby. The poor kid couldn't walk very well for the next two days, he was so sore.

Then today we had a dental appointment for Jonah and Eden. Even though I had talked to them about it nonstop trying to prepare them to say "Aaah" for the dentist, I still was really dreading it. But swimming lessons went well, and even though they were tired, they seemed to be in good moods. We went to a pediatric dentist that we'd never been to before, and the office was awesome. They had a separate movie room, video games, toys and books. The kids had a blast while I filled out the paperwork. They took Jonah back while I was still filling out Eden's papers. Then we went back too.

They took us to a big open room with four dentist chairs and other kids getting worked on. Jonah had already had his teeth cleaned and was playing a Finding Nemo video game (well, pretending to). Eden jumped right up in the chair, picked her flavor of cleaning stuff, and laid back without one prompt from me. She laid there not even moving, as if she's done this a million times! After their cleaning, the kids got stickers and played while they waited for the dentist. Then he came in and checked their teeth, said everything was good and asked me some questions, and then we were done!

The kids got little goodie bags with Cars and Disney Princess toothbrushes and floss and two tokens to go get a prize. We went over to the desk where we check out and on the opposite wall there were a bunch of those quarter machines (you know, the kind in grocery stores that usually have gumballs or small toys or stickers). So the kids got to pick two prizes each. It was really cute. Jonah picked a bouncy ball and a sticky lizard and Eden picked a jelly bracelet and a bouncy ball.

I was so floored that the kids did so well at both of their appointments! I guess having three so close together, I rarely see the light at the end of the tunnel with them. I don't really focus on their next milestones, like when they're going to be able to follow me closely through a parking lot without running in the opposite direction or when they'll stop screaming every time we go to the doctor. But they really are getting older, slowly but surely. The sad thing is that we are just in a constant numb state here with them being so close, that it's hard to focus on one kid's accomplishments. They all seem to kind of do things at around the same time, or once Jonah gets something, then soon Eden does, and then soon Levi does. I guess I sometimes wonder if they'd have been better off spaced out, but it's too late now! It's weird to think that all three of my kids will be in high school at the same time (during Jonah's senior year). Hopefully they'll still grow up with some sense of individuality even though they are so close in age.