Five Year-Old Appt

The nurse at the pediatrician's office, who knows us all too well, says that the 5 year-old check-up is her least favorite appointment on any given day. I'd have to agree. I never liked my babies getting shots, but I could handle it. But when I have to take one of my bigger kids in for shots I hate it. I don't tell them what is coming until right before it happens and I hate that because I feel like I've tricked them. Ok, maybe I have? But I never lie about it. Mollee was always the one that knew (somehow?) what was coming and would always ask all the questions I didn't want her to ask.

Today was Capps' appointment. Like every other check-up in his life, he was 50% for height and 50% for weight (which is huge for one of my kids). He did great on the eye chart, he loved peeing in a cup, and he did every physical activity the Dr. asked him to do (hopping on one foot, walking on his heels, etc.). Then came the immunizations. When Mollee fought her shots (at age 5, I must add she didn't fight anything during her allergy test) her drama would just make me mad, but when the boys just sit there and grin and bear it, that kills me. They always say, "I'm going to be tough as a soldier - will you tell Dad?".

Well, Capps did great, he cried and probably will be bruised tomorrow from being so tense, but he sat still. I did something today that I never did for the other kids, but just felt the need to do it for Capps. I saved one of his birthday gifts to give him after his shots. I didn't tell him I had it until we were sitting in the waiting room. For him, it wasn't bribery (that would be if I wasn't going to give it to him if he was bad, right?), it was just something to look forward to after the appointmen. As soon as his shots were over he got to open his gift - the Webkinz monkey (because he is a monkey) he has wanted for awhile. He told the nurse he was going to name it George for Curious George, even though the Webkinz monkey had a tail. Did you know that Curious George doesn't have a tail ?- a big concern in our house. Capps' response to this issue, it doesn't matter because he is a monkey and he doesn't have a tail either.

The Dr. (who is a family friend) told Capps that since he did so great maybe mommy would get him some ice cream on the way home. Therefore, Capps got a Webkinz monkey and a McDonald's sundae on the way home.