In Which Sweetheart Visits a Bunch of Doctors

One part of turning three is that you suddenly get to visit a bunch of doctors, all who want to check you out and see how you've done since last year. First, Sweetheart went to our regular doctor to get poked and prodded. I was excited to find out that she is so up to date on her shots that she doesn't need any until right before Kindergarten. The doc checked her over and they measured her. She is doing really well and is a super healthy kid. She checks in at the 7th percentile for weight, which is the highest she has been in a long, long time! Go Sweetheart!

Next was a visit to the allergist. I wrote about her visit to the allergist last year and the back scratch test she had to do, but what I don't think I wrote about is how much I didn't like that particular allergist, for reasons I won't go in to here. But, he had said that she needed to come back every year for a back scratch test to see if the allergies are going away, so I made an appointment with someone new to get that done. I was dreading this appointment so much, because how do you explain to a 3-year-old why they won't quit poking her poor little back? But it had to be done, so in we went. The new allergist is wonderful! He said that instead of poking her back, he would just have me sign a paper to get the results of last year's test from the other allergist, and then have us go to Primary Children's Hospital to have her blood drawn, because they knew how to do it on kids and do it well. They can somehow test her blood for those specific allergens, and then later we can have another blood draw and see if her allergies are going away. So much better than a back scratch test! He also said that we only had to go in every once in awhile instead of every year, and he didn't need the next blood draw on her until right before Kindergarten. (She is not going to have much fun right before Kindergarten, but at least she doesn't have to do it every year between now and then!) She was a rock star when they drew her blood, she didn't squirm, didn't cry, barely even seemed to notice. Even the guy drawing her blood was impressed. She got to pick a prize and was so happy that the whole way home she was saying things like, "That man was so nice to me!" and "That nice man took my blood then gave me a prize!" When Marquis got home she even showed him where the nice guy got the blood out for her, and showed him her fun prize. I was so relieved that day turned out so well!

Lastly, Sweetheart got to have her first visit to the dentist. That one didn't go as well as her other doctor's visits, she flat out refused to open her mouth for them. But that is what they expected. They said that the first visit is just to give her a test drive and let her see that it's not a scary place. After her turn she got to see me get my teeth cleaned and they showed her all the different tools they use, and they even let her take home one of the little mirrors that they use to see inside her mouth. She has been playing dentist ever since, and I think next time will go much, much better.