A Former Mircropreemie's 4-Year Old Well-Child Visit

It's been busy around here, just like at your house. The holidays will do that to you, won't they? Having a child with a Christmas Eve birthday just adds a few more things to my to-do list. And it's not just the "party-planning" (both family AND friend this year!) that adds some work. It's also all the "yearly appointment" jazz that goes along with her being another year older...

C. turned four on Christmas Eve and a week ago I took her in to see the pediatrician for her well-child check-up.

She opted to have her baby sister, G, go first. No problem. G. is doing fantastically and growing like a weed.

Like all well-child appointments, it started with a height and weight check. More than my other two children's combined, C's weight has been a source of stress for us. Not as much now, of course, but for so many days and weeks I can remember poring over her charts and cringing to see if she had gained or lost a few grams. It seemed like the fate of the world was resting on those numbers...

Anyway, at just over four years, C. measures 38" tall and weighs in at 31 pounds, fully dressed. That places her in the 25th and 5th percentiles respectively. That's great news! While I believe that C. is probably genetically predisposed to be on the taller side (we're all WELL above the 25th %...), there's absolutely nothing wrong with those stats-- they're healthy. That's what matters. She will likely always be a small-boned, petite girl and that's just fine.

She was her usual charming, engaging little self, eager to smile and make eye-contact. Developmentally, she's doing rather well. She still receives therapies through her school, but she has no delays that "hold her back". She's able to fully participate in any and all activities. Praise God, yet again!

Finally, it was time to talk shots. In our state, children can get their kindergarten inoculations any time between the ages of 4 and 6. This pediatrician recommended that we split them up and do two shots this time. Okie dokey.

Have I ever told you about my kids and shots? If not, allow me to brag for just a moment. While it seems like dozens of parents have horror stories to tell me about how they had to "pin their kid down" or "they had to bring in three extra nurses" or "she bit the nurse" or "he spit at me" and on and on, my kids are the rock stars of receiving shots. My 4-year old son A. doesn't flinch and says "thank you" when it's done. My daughter C. stares down the nurse and doesn't cry until the end. Used to be she didn't even cry. At six months old, she weighed a whopping eight pounds and just GLARED at the nurse without a tear in her eye. They make me proud.

Anyway, two shots, a couple Tweetie bandaids, and a Sleeping Beauty sticker later, we were out the door.

Another successful year down.

The New Years just keep getting happier.