5 year doc appointment.

Turning 5 isn't all it's cracked up to be. If you don't believe me, just ask Katherine. The BIG 5th birthday isn't just about parties, cake and presents, it's also about the infamous 5 year well child check up at the doctor's office. Yesterday was the big day.

Oh, man.... this was *by far* the worst doctor appoint she's ever had. It was all about the DRA-MAH.... and what drama is was!

The highlight (if there was one) was Caleb out in the hallway. He put on quite a show for the nurses. Everyone in earshot was totally cracking up. Katherine had to get her eyesight checked, and they had this shape chart thing at the end of the hallway. Katherine (and Caleb -- as I didn't want to leave him alone in the exam room) stood in front of the chart and she was asked all sorts of shapes -- everything from a boat, to a star, heart, moon, circle, etc... Before she could even speak, Caleb blurted out the answers and started cheering for himself. He then started jumping up and down saying, "I know that shape"!! When one of the nurses came to distract him, he said, "I go with you if I get stickers. I get stickers, right???" After getting a few, he bolted back to Katherine's side. She was being asked her last shape, and Caleb immediately started yelling, "Dat a coffee cup! Dat a coffee cup!! My Pop-pops drinks outta dat"!

When we got back to the room, the nurse handed me a cup with Katherine's name written on it, and told her that she had to pee in it. She was horrified and had a billion questions -- would she stand up or sit down, what if she dropped it in the toilet, maybe we should just fill it up with water and see if they'd notice.... Pretty good idea, huh??? LOL! So in to the bathroom we go, and I hold the cup for her. At this point, she had two main concerns -- what if she pee'd on me, and who held the cup for me when I went for the "baby checks". That girl! Always thinking!

Next up was blood work. Fun times let me assure you! Lisa, Jon's regular nurse, had the day off and a loud talking, curt woman was her replacement. I'm not sure what exactly happened, but somehow blood ended up EVERYWHERE. Literally, all over her hand, between her fingers, on her shirt and on the bench she was sitting on. As you guessed, this led to FREAK OUT CENTRAL. She was absolutely beside herself, and cried her little eyes out. But this PALED in comparison to the shots.....

AAAAHHH the shots. Caleb was so sweet. Before the nurses came back in, he hopped up on the exam table and said, "Katherine, I take the shots for you. I share with you. Don't worry. I do it for you". She didn't give it a second thought. She was all over it! If he was willing to take her shots, she'd let him -- that's for sure!

The nurses came in and asked me if I'd like all four today, or if I only wanted her to get two now, and two right before school starts. Are you kidding me??? If we have to do it, do it all now! The anticipation is worse than the shots themselves.

So the shots..... it took two nurses and me to hold her down. She was kicking and screaming and crying like I've never heard. Everyone in the office had to hear her. She cried so hard that she broke out in hives. I was literally afraid that she'd hyperventilate. It was brutal! I started crying with her and Caleb just looked on -- completely horrified.

On the way out of the door I gave them both a ring pop -- a sucker that you can wear on your finger and it looks like a pacifier. Caleb was in heaven, but poor Katherine, she was still gasping for air and couldn't eat it... Thankfully, no more shots for seven years.

On to the stats -- Katherine weighed 34.4 pounds and was 40 1/4 inches. This puts her at in the 20th percentile for both height and weight. It's such a relief to know that she's putting on some of the weight she lost a few weeks ago.