Two Year Stats Are In!

Hi all! It's been a very busy summer so far. I'm currently organizing hundreds of photos (literally) in hopes of getting a few up in the next day or two. We have lots of upcoming excitement planned, which means I need to get the old stuff posted quickly before I forget about it. While you wait to hear about all the adventures we've had since school got out at the beginning of May (ha! as if!), you might be interested in hearing how the wee one is developing, so I'll indulge you in the story of Eily's big 2 Year checkup.

We actually went to see Eily's doctor, Dr. Marcus, a few weeks ago for a minor rash that wouldn't go away. It was no big deal, but I mention it to exemplify the typical series of events that occur in the time leading up to a semi-annual checkup. We go 5 months without needing to call the doctor, then see him twice the month before the regular appointment. (In case you're worried, the rash has cleared.) Another reason I bring up this visit is to talk about a pattern I noticed developing when it came to Eily and the doctor's office. At a previous appointment in January, she became agitated when I told her we were going to the doctor, and the same thing happened with the visit for her rash last month. In an attempt to make her more comfortable before going in for a followup the next week, I decided to buy her a toy doctor kit. Little did I know how much she would like it and become obsessed with the idea that doctors help us feel better. When we went back the following week, instead of whimpering and saying, "No go doctor!" while running away from me, she immediately shouted, "See doctor! Make feel better!"  Considering she said the same thing before a routine checkup yesterday when she was feeling fine, I hope I haven't created a hypochondriac like her Auntie Katie.  (Love you, sis!)

Another couple of weeks have passed, and admittedly the doctor kit has lost its novelty. But when I told Eily we were going to see Dr. M yesterday, I almost burst out laughing as she yelled, "Dr. Marcus! Yay!" and ran for the door. Before we could leave, however, she grabbed her Timmy sheep and asked if we could bring him with us. I thought she was due for a vaccine, so I didn't mind her bringing a buddy to help her feel better. Eily did not, however, need moral support. She was far more concerned about Timmy, whom she thougth was in need of some TLC. In the car, she informed me that Timmy had a booboo and needed a shot. I listened to her chattering away to him in the back seat, kissing his fleecy forehead and telling him the doctor would "make feel better." Needless to say, it was a rather entertaining ride.

In the doctor's office, Eily officially graduated from the table scale they use for babies to the "stand up like a big kid" scale. Gone are the days of stretching her on a paper mat and penciling a dot for the top of her head and bottom of her feet to get a height. She stood against the wall and let the assistant, Olinda, measure her against a ruler on the wall. When she finished, Eily said she did "awesome." Olinda got quite a kick out of this, as well as Eily slapping her high five when she left us in the exam room to wait for the doctor.

When Dr. M came in, Eily insisted he listen to Timmy's heart with the stethoscope.  She happily sat still while he checked her with the otoscope (ears/eyes/mouth instrument with magnification & a light for those of you who don't happen to have one in your toy doctor kits).  She then repeated what she had told me in the car - Timmy needed a shot.  Dr. M assured her that neither she nor Timmy were in need of any shots for this appointment.  I think I have the only child in the world who was disappointed by this news.  

The rest of the appointment centered on my increasing and admitted paranoia about her peanut allergy.  Per the instructions of one of Dr. M's partners at her 18month checkup, we've tried to keep all peanut contaminated foods away from Eily in the hopes of her outgrowing what we hoped was just a sensitivity. Unfortunately, since that appointment, there was one instance where Nicole tried to kill my child * Eily ate jelly with trace amounts of peanut butter - as in, you couldn't even see any in the jelly - and had a reaction.  Dr. M is pretty sure it's time to call it what it is, an allergy.  We've got an appointment set up with an allergist to have the official test done and to also find out if she takes after her Nana with a shellfish allergy. If the results come back positive, Jesse and I will have to discuss following through with the agreement we made before Eily was born:  to disown her if she's allergic to peanuts.**

 With the exception of food allergies, though, Dr. M said Eily is looking and growing great.  There's certainly no concerns about her cognitive abilities at this point, which she clearly demonstrated by talking to him during the entire appointment.  As for the physical side, the official stats are:

Height:  33 inches - 25th percentile (that's more than half my height!!!!)

Weight:  26.2 lbs - 50th percentile

Head circumference:  19inches - 50th percentile

In other words, she's average weight in a short little body.  Poor thing didn't stand a chance with our genes.

*Nicole did not intentionally give Eily peanut butter contaminated jelly, so she's been forgiven.  

** While peanuts and peanut butter are my absolute favorite things to eat in the entire world, I'm pretty convinced I love Eily more.  We probably won't make good on that pre-baby agreement.