A Terrible Morning

So you guys with kids over 4 know this, but this is a lesson for those of you who have young kids or who may not have kids yet but will. Here are a few take away tidbits in case you don't have time to read this whole story. Kind of like on CNN where in the upper right hand corner, they give you the summary. Here goes:
1. Always schedule "yearly checkups" at the end of the day or in the afternoon where you can go home afterwards.
2. Bring extra bandaids--preferably Hannah Montana....even if your child has never seen the show.
3. Allow for at least one and a half hours for the "check up". It will be at least that long, probably longer.


Back to the action:

So yesterday morning was Ryan's 4 year checkup. They had relatively few openings (probably because every kid in College Station has a sinus infection, and most of their parents I might add) so when they finally said 8:20 on Tuesday? I gave in and said that would be fine. I figured, I should be able to be at school by 9:10 (2nd period). Ryan also has dance class at 9am at her school. I figured it would be no problem getting her there at least close to on time.

I figured wrong! The first part of the appt. was great--vision, hearing, develpmental, height, weight--the usual. No problem. We meet with Dr. Saenz. Great--no issues. We are doing good on time--8:40. He does say in the appt. that Ryan needs 5 shots. (what?!?!) Okay....I haven't prepped Ry for that on purpose, thinking she would freak out and also, I wasn't sure how many. (Five?!?! Are you sure Dr. Saenz??) So we start to wait, and wait, and wait. 9:15 finally brings the nurses (2 one to give these gifts of pain and one to hold her legs). Mom, you get to hold the arms. Be ready for this. It sucks.

So the five (yeesh--really!?!?) shots finally are done, and Ry has completely LOST it. (who wouldn't?) She's bawling, hollering "it hurts!" (no kidding!) and it is time to go. But her legs hurt. She doesn't want to walk. She doesn't want to be held-everything hurts. Eventually, with much crying, we get outside. Where it is raining and we need an umbrella. And patience for me. Ry's still going crazy. I finally tell her that I'll have to take away her lollipop if she can't stop crying (I am or at least felt like, a terrible mom). So we eventually make it to the car where the shots are bleeding through her pants. (DRAMA!! Ryan calls it "bleeting"--like a sheep?) Anyway....

We have to stop for more bandaids--thank God in that moment for Hannah Montana. She's never seen the show, but it made her happy to buy them. We get in the car. We get to school. Ry's doing okay now. Still legs hurt, but otherwise, not bawling. We talk about her new stamp kit (thanks again to Walgreens where we got the bandaids). The stamp kit we had to buy because Ry was so upset because (double whammy) she missed dance class.

We get to school. And here it comes again. Ry loses it all over again because I have to go to work. I get there at 10am. The worst morning. : (

So just a quick review: appts end of day, extra bandaids, and allow for lots of time. So all of you out there with older kiddos, keep passing on those tidbits of information to us newbies--we need all the help we can get! : ) p.s. Ry is feeling just fine today! Sore legs, but just fine! Thank heavens!