The 9-Month Checkup

Brave Injection-Taker Baby
Originally uploaded by Kimmy Crack Corn.

Yesterday was The Goose's 9-month well-baby doctor visit. He measured 27.5 inches in height (50th percentile) and weighed in at 17 lbs, 8 oz. (10th percentile). I don't remember his exact head size, but the nurse gasped and said that it was, again, off the charts, as were his intelligence, creativity, language-development, and activity levels. The doctor said that we should NOT worry about his low weight because this is typical for breastfed babies at about 9 months. She said he will likely have a surge before his 12-month checkup.

When the doctor walked in and spoke to Goose, he immediately held out his hands in his typical "I-need-to-hug-you-NOW" fashion and allowed her to probe him all over without a peep. She gave him a prescription steroid cream for his eczema and said it will likely come and go and get itchy and gross and that maybe he'll outgrow it (or not) and that it might keep him up at night and that scratching will make it worse and that he will inevitably scratch it raw. Great.

Then the doctor left and the nurse came in for the one shot and also a finger prick (iron level test). The Goose sat in his dad's lap and played with my bracelet during this would-be traumatic time.

First came the prick, after which he didn't even look up until she put the band-aid on and then he abandoned my bracelet and went to work gnawing on the band-aid (it was later found in the upstairs hallway after a long period of searching for it).

Then came the time for the shot and we all held our breath. But three cheers for the brave, injection-taker baby! He was so interested in the band-aid that he didn't even notice her stick that needle in his leg. After her shocked reaction, he calmly peered up at her as if to say, "Yeah, I could've screamed bloody murder, but that would be beneath me, and plus this band-aid is way too cool to ignore." Needless to say, she was very impressed.

In conclusion, he's still perfect.