Weight is Heavy, Shots are Shotty

Dear Henry,

Monday was your 2 month doctor's check. They looked you over and you were a champ. I got you naked then the nurse put you on the paper and traced your head and the bottom of your foot with your leg stretched out and you grew from 19" at birth to 22.5". This puts you in the 25th% for height, which is steady growth. Then we took you over to the baby healthometer scale and when the nurse placed you in I gasped because you filled that thing up like a bag of apples at the supermarket! You weighed at birth 6lbs 2oz and at this check you weighed 11lbs 9oz!!! Check out this post for a contrast.


It is no wonder carrying you in your baby carrier has become more and more unpleasant to my ever aching arms, you're a GIANT. This new expansion of skin, bone, muscle and fat on your frame boosted you to the 50th% from the 25th% in weight. The nurse told me I needed to start wiping your mouth out because when you get a tooth I'll need to brush it and this will get you used to having something in your mouth. I have a feelin' you're not gonna like that.

You took all this calculating in stride. Then we waited for the doctor. As we waited I could hear a nurse talking in the hallway even though our door was closed, "Lily, that baby girl adopted from California, her mom is here for a belly button check...(I'll spare the details)." I instantly knew that Brook must be in the room next to ours so we went next door and sure enough! Your buddy Lily was there. She is a couple of months behind you so she is still workin' off the stub of the umbilical cord that is left hangin'.

We went back to our room and finally the doctor came in. He laid you on the table and checked your heart and lungs, your hips, your tummy, in your ears and your little mouth and everything looked great! Mommy filled out a chart about all of the great tricks you've picked up on and you've surpassed your milestones for your age. I was proud.
Then it was time... the nurse came in, she has known you as long as I have, she was with you at the hospital when J pushed you into this world. She got the viles ready while Mommy wrapped you up in the beautiful duckie blanket Auntie Linda made for you. I figured the hands that made it have made it through TONS of shots during her cancer battle, more like a war, so it should help you. It did. Mommy swaddled you up in it with your leg exposed and started shssssooooshing in your ear. The nurse said, "Okay!" and poked you the first time. You wailed for about 15 seconds, gave a little hurt face with the corners of your cheeks turned down and your bottom lip puckered out and you took a few deep breaths, found your thumb and moved on with your day. Mommy does have a picture of that first poke but why relive it here?

When Mommy got you home though you were not yourself. You slept all day cuddled up at my side and in your swing. You had a 100.9 fever and groused around like a grump on and off. It made me so sad to see you this way, the next day was more of the same. This morning, however, you woke up and played makin' faces with me and laughing for an hour. I was happy to see my Ole Boy back for a while at least, then you whimpered and laid back to sleep with your thumb firm in your mouth. You just had a bath and are sacked out on the blanket Aimee and Tim sent you. It seems to be your favorite napping blanket right now.

I can't imagine if I let the nurse give you all of the vaccines at one time!!! JEEZE! OWIE! There are like 5-8 total depending on which ones you choose.

I am glad it is over, until next Wednesday when we do it all over again.

My hope is that you continue to be your healthy, good natured self. I wasn't sure what to do with a grumpy baby!

Love, Mommy