Checkup Time

Punky had her three-year well visit with the doctor today and I couldn't be happier.  First of all, we hadn't been there since the summer, which is absolutely unbelievable given the fact that we made almost weekly trips for months prior.  She's had a few colds and stomach bugs since, but no ear infections or inexplicable fevers whatsoever.

While the doctor updated the medical exam form required by daycare, Punky entertained her with an explanation of how the blue juice in her body turns red if it comes out when she makes a boo-boo.  And that if we have ten cookies, and add two more, we'll have twelve.  And that the word 'doctor' starts with a D.  And that she can finally say 'hospital' the right way instead of 'hostable' like she said when she was two.  

That, of course, made the doctor comment on both her intelligence and her ability to speak so clearly for her age.  And, in turn, made us smile with pride.  

The doctor rattled off a list of questions about her development to make sure she is meeting the milestones and we talked about the disappearance of the ear infections and high fevers.  I thanked her for not letting us rush into getting tubes in Punky's ears.  I'm glad we listened and waited out the storm.  She was relieved that fevers are gone and she chalked them up to viral infections that seemed to occur in a pattern by sheer coincidence.  She did a routine physical exam on the munchkin and declared her healthy.  The only vaccination Punky needed was the flu shot and, thankfully, they gave it to her as a nasal spray rather than a needle.

But the doctor did have some bad news for us: she's moving to Texas in two months so we had to name another doctor in the practice for Punky's future visits.  Dammit.  We had our differences in the beginning when I was struggling with nursing and Punky wasn't gaining weight fast enough in her opinion, but once we passed that initial hurdle I really came to like her.  So does Punky.  Most importantly, I trust her.  Now we have to start all over with a new doctor. 

So, at the ripe old age of three, Punky is a whopping twenty-seven pounds and thirty-six inches.  She only gained one pound since they last saw her almost six months ago, but she grew about two inches.  She is still dangling around the 20th percentile for kids her age.  Once a runt, always a runt.