3 Year Well-Check

And the stats are in!

Juliana

Weight: 24 lbs., 4 oz. - 1%ile

Height: 35 1/2 in. - 16%ile

Mia

Weight: 29 lbs., 0 oz. - 32%ile

Height: 36 1/2 in. - 37%ile

Today was the girls' 3 year well-check and all was...well! They are doing great and Dr. S just loves the girls to pieces. When she saw them walk into the exam room she couldn't believe what big girls they were! The girls chatted her ears off calling her, "Doctor" and asked about everything she was doing. Dr. S and the girls even did some "ballet" together...arabesque, bouree, 1st through 5th position...too cute (have to thank the Booby Bird Ballet episode of the Little Einsteins for their recent interest in ballet).

But all in all, it was a very routine well-check. We talked about the tumor on Mia's back and although it continues to grow with her, it still is proportionately the same size that it was two years ago. Since it does not bother her or appear to affect her motor skills in any way (that we know of), we will continue to take the "wait and see" approach. I'm a little torn though...part of me wants a second MRI just to know MORE about it. BUT, in the same breath, I don't want my baby to have to be put under general anesthesia unnecessarily. AND, knowing just how hard it is to find a vein on these girls, I don't want to watch a team of nurses take 8-10 attempts to get an IV started on her...EVER again. You would think it would be something you get used to after having a baby in the NICU for 3 months with IVs on every limb, but...you DON'T.

Which brings us to the vaccination part of the appointment. Dr. S said her good-bye and in walked the nurse. I felt horrible, like I was keeping this HUGE secret from the girls by not telling them what was about to happen next. Mia wanted to go first, so up she hopped on the table. I laid her down and the nurse had me hold her arms across her chest and a shadow (nurse in training) held her legs down. Mia looked up at me with a big smile...and my heart just crumbled. In a last minute effort to prevent Juliana from watching what would be coming, I told Robert to take her for a quick walk outside the room. And then they came...one right after another, Hep A and the flu shot, in her thighs. Poor thing just whimpered and cried with such hurt and pain. I scooped her up and walked outside, while Robert walked the next unsuspecting victim in the room. Mia quickly pulled out of it when she looked down at her thighs, tears streaming down her face, and saw two Band-Aids...a pink soccer ball bandage and a Dora the Explorer bandage. Mid-cry she says happy as can be, "Oh! Look at my band-aids! It's Dora and soccer balls...and there's a little bit of blood coming out, too. Wow Mommy!" So I wiped my own tears and told her what a big girl she was. Then she asked, "Why did the doctor pinch me?" I explained they weren't pinches, but rather shots of medicine to make sure she doesn't get really sick. I think she got it.

In the meantime, I am waiting for the big scream from Juliana...which never happened. Well, that's because she was holding her breath while crying. Poor thing! She, too, pulled out of it pretty quickly when Dr. S offered them stickers from the sticker box. Oh to be a kid again when a sticker or two could make everything right with the world!

My only other concern was Juliana's weight. I mean, come on, at 3 years old she weighs as much as most ONE year olds. But, she is following her own little curve, right at the bottom of the chart and although its at the bottom...the curve is exactly as it should be.

And that's pretty much it! The girls will celebrate their birthday this coming weekend with family...a little late, but hey...who doesn't want TWO birthday celebrations when you are this age?