4 month Check-up

On February 9th, Everson turned 4 months old. :( Its going by too fast! Even though I'm savoring it, it's still too quick. God should really slow down the baby phase, and speed up the three year old phase!

I took Jackson to school, and then went straight to Dr. Perona's for Everson's 10:15 appointment. We got right in. We didn't wait at all (shock!) We had a brand new nurse (who was not the brightest young girl....and apparently she had a 4 month old, too...and I'll get to "how I knew this" in about 4 sentences) who weighed and measured him. I stripped him to his diaper and laid him on the scale. "WOW!! 15.5 lbs! He's a BIG baby!" Thank you. Thank you very much. "WOW!! 25 in long! He really IS a BIG baby!" Seriously? You want me to punch you?

She takes us to his room and says, "I bet he's off the charts. I have a 4 month old and she's only 11 lbs. She's a LOT smaller than he is!" Thank you again, for that. "Well, I'd like to know what percentile he's in, so can you go get that chart for me so I can see?" She bounces away and I re-assure Everson that he is perfectly in proportion and not to worry, Mommy could kick her ass easily. That's the good thing about being bigger than someone! She comes back and tells me "He's in the 29th% BMI." I say, "Huh? What the hell is that? I have no idea what you mean by that." Because BMI is not a PERCENTILE genius, and you don't figure BMI for babies, that's for older children. I want to know his weight percentile and height percentile.

Finally, Dr. Perona walks in at that moment, and Captain Space Cadet nurse walks out, still confused by what I'm asking her, also not understanding how offensive she is. I'll be honest, Everson has BEEN that fat baby--when he had no neck! He had a chubby face and chubby legs, but he wasn't HUGE or a MONSTER. He's always been in proportion. And right now, he's not at all a FAT baby.

THEN, Dr. Perona walks in. "My GOSH!! Look at how fat his legs are! They are so big!" ...and then she pokes his thighs..."Your legs are so FAT!" Okay, at this point, I'm not happy anymore. He's not fat. So again, I ask her, "I want to know his percentiles." So she goes and gets the chart. 15.5lbs is 66%ile (not off the charts, just above average) and 25" long is 55th%ile (slightly above avg) and his head circumference is 25%tile (he's got a small head, but so does his Momma!)

After looking him over, we walk over to get our vaccines. He did very well the last round, and these are just a continuation of the first round, so I didn't protest anything. Poor baby did fine with the first shot, but the second shot apparently stung a little longer, and he was hysterical. I nursed him the second we were done! The only one in that office that I like anymore is Nurse Roni. She gives the shots. She gave Jackson his season flu shot and Everson's 4 month shots, and she's the sweet nurse you talk to on the phone and calms you down during high fever strikes. All I can say is I miss Dr. Wardell. I might just have to hunt her down in Palestine, TX and make my appointments up there, because I truly miss her. She was a great doctor.

So take note: if someone has a baby that is slightly larger, don't say anything. Of course, you can talk about them all you want to once they leave the room and make all kinds of faces, and point and say "OH MY GOD! DID YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT BABY?! WHAT DO THEY FEED HIM?!" But don't say it to the Momma. I can't help what comes out of these breasts. Apparently, it's some good quality calories. But call my baby fat again, and I'll come after you and knock you to the ground with a left, then a right, breast.

"So, do you think I'm fat? How do you stay so trim and fit?"

To see Jackson's 4 month Check-up, click here