Doctor visit

The 4yr checkup is a big one. Not so much cuz 4 is so important. But because they get their first vision and hearing tests. And because they get FOUR shots - all boosters from when they were infants. But nonetheless, the last time Brooke had shots she was 2 and still too unaware to know what was coming. By four, the kiddos know what to expect, worry about it, and understand that this is way not cool. Plus, if you have a child like Brooke, you know all the other stuff that goes along with dr's visits can wreak havoc. Simple things - now they take blood pressure - starting at age 3, where she FREAKED OUT! And the vision/hearing test was new, etc etc...

So Brooke informed me that now that she was 4, she wasn't going to cry with the shots. It helped a little I guess that she got to witness Brenna's chicken pox. We told her she had to get the shot so she didn't get chicken pox. :) She also told me that now that she's 4, she is not going to be shy with Dr Matthews anymore. He's a great doctor and has really done well with her and her 'personal space issues' as she has grown.

Anyway, today we had none of that! She was a model patient! Everyone was much impressed with her! She weighed 34 lbs and was 40 1/4in tall.

She got her blood pressure checked with no hesitation whatsoever. (for the record, her BP was 92/48)

Then she took her eye exam and could see 20/30 in both eyes, which he said is normal for kids, up to age 7. Her hearing test went ok, but she didn't really understand that she had to wave her hand anytime she heard the sounds. She said she heard them, so she got an official passing score. Dr Matthews checked her over and said she was continuing on her 50 percentile growth chart. Everything else looked great and her cognitive skills were over the level of a 4yr old. He joked, that she must be smarter than Daddy. :)

Then came time for the shots! And I told her that now that she had gotten past the other stuff, it is ok if she cries a little for the shots. That they will probably hurt... And it's ok to cry. It's not ok to have a fit over it, but ok to cry if it hurts. But that Mommy will hold her hand.

So the nurse laid her back, I held her hands...she got FOUR shots, two in each leg with a pause in between each pair...and through it all, not a single tear! Are you kidding me?!?! I was so proud of her! You could tell it hurt and heck, if I had four shots, I would've probably cried. But she was just very solemn for a bit afterwards (like the first 3 or 4 minutes afterwards) trying to maintain her composure. But she was totally totally fine. And she told me on the car ride home..."See Mommy? It's not that big of a deal." My big girl!