5 Year Check Up & Tylenol All Around

Today K & O had their 5-Year-Old Dr. Check Ups. I have posted about their amazing pediatrician before, and what a huge role she played in helping K & O to medically thrive in their first year home... so I won't go into detail here... but suffice it to say that, once again, Dr. Aleks' eyes were welled up with tears as she looked them over. More than once she looked at me, with her tears about to spill over, saying, "But Heather, do you remember?" All I can do is nod. Yes, I remember. The boys are so healthy now. But yes, we remember.

Here are the 5-Year-Old stats:
Kyle: 3'10'', 52 pounds, hovering over the 95th percentile for both height and weight
Owen: 3'11.5'', 50 pounds, 95th percentile for weight and way off the chart for height

They were amazingly good at the doctor's office (shockingly so). However, we had an extreme situation when Owen went berserk upon hearing that they each needed four shots (yes, four shots each). He went absolutely nuts when the army of nurses flooded the small examining room (yes, army-- four nurses; 2 nurses for each boy; 1 nurse for each arm; each nurse carrying 2 shots -- it really was quite dramatic). They were well-intentioned (thinking they'd swoop in, and quickly do the dirty deed, then swoop out). But it back-fired in a big way for Owen... who went crazy kicking and bucking and flailing his arms and crying hysterically and screaming "NO SHOTS! NO SHOTS! NO SHOTS! LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kyle, on the other hand, cool as a cucumber was "excited!" (his own quote) about it all and "couldn't wait for the shots!" He sat on Dr. Aleks lap still and stoic, watching closely while the nurses shot him up x4. This proved nothing to Owen. He watched, and then conversed with Kyle about it, and we thought we were in the clear, but then, just as the nurses began their approach, he resumed his fit of rage. He actually tried to bolt and I had to physically restrain him (which, let me tell you, is not easy to do). It was a bad scene. Trying to keep him in the room (and then, on my lap) was a major workout; I was breaking out in a serious sweat; and all the while I'm trying to calmly and gently tell him, "Owen, it is ok, I am here, shots help you stay healthy," etc. Finally we (me and Dr. Aleks) just had to hold him on my lap while the nurses did their thing. He didn't even know they had done the shots after they had. When I said, "It is all done baby, it is over." he looked up at me and said/screamed "GOOD! NO SHOTS! NO SHOTS!!!!!!" I said, "But you got the shots! They already did it. It is done now. I held you the whole time. It is over." And he was stunned and in awe that it "Oh?! It didn't even hurt." Within two seconds he was his normal, jovial self and Dr. Aleks told me she was "prescribing" me a "couple of drinks tonight!!!!" I think the whole entire office staff is probably having a couple of drinks tonight after the ordeal. But all is well that ends well. Owen then proceeded to go through the rest of the check up like the sweet little boy that he can be (when he's not causing a major scene). As we were leaving Kyle announced to Dr. Aleks that when he grows up he wants to be "a nurse! who gives shots!!!" Hmmmm....????? Anyway, I took it upon myself to reward them greatly for their shot-getting with treats of their choice on the ride home... First, frozen custard with rainbow sprinkles from Rita's (Owen's chocolate in a cone, of course; Kyle's vanilla in a cup, of course):
Then, pizza slices ("plain cheese!!") from Rocco's:
When we got home they had running races in the front yard while Meera practiced walking. The boys were complaining that their arms hurt where they had gotten the shots (no doubt!), so they got Tylenol before bed. And Little Miss is in the midst of sprouting a big 'ole molar (big, and just breaking through the surface of the gums), and is in serious pain... so she got Tylenol before bed too. Tylenol all around! and they're now sleeping soundly.