Checking Up with the Docs...

A few days ago we had a day filled with doctor's visits. It was a good day for confirmations. No more fears about going to the dentist or doctor for the kids' check-ups to find out that we are totally slacking in some area of their lives.

We started the day at Bailey's swimming lessons at 9 a.m. Then, we proceeded to the dentist office at 10, where Bailey and Jake did wonderfully well, sitting still and getting their teeth counted, cleaned, and flossed. I was completely impressed with Jake, who seemed terrified at the thought of sitting in the chair where his sister had been. However, a little coaxing and talking about Spiderman's bravery, and he was in the chair and ready to go. Amazing how Spiderman influences our lives. :) Then, off to lunch with Daddy at 11:30.

By 1 p.m., we were pulling in the parking lot of the doctor's office for our annual check-ups. Thankfully, both kids are doing great. The doctor was impressed with their behavior (my threats worked!) and they both did well with all of their exams. Bailey CAN hear, which means no more lying when I tell her to do something and she replies that she couldn't hear me. :) Of course, we had to have SOME drama. Bailey cried for like 15 minutes over the little prick of her finger for the blood test. Jake, on the other hand, took it like a man and only whimpered and puckered. He did, however, become highly upset that they put a band-aid on him and immediately demanded that we take it off. Both kids are growing... Bailey is 48 pounds and 3 feet 8 inches tall. That puts her in the 90th percentile of girls for her age. I was a little concerned that she might have a weight problem, but the doctor said not to worry about it. She's growing and her blood levels are all fine, so there is no need to worry. Still... a little less fat and sugar in her diet won't hurt (this is my commentary, not the doctor's). No worries, I'm not a psycho mom that is worried about her weight, but I want to make sure she grows up healthy. Jake, much like always, is the opposite of his sister. He's 29 pounds and 3 feet and a half inch tall. He is about the 15th percentile for both height and weight, whereas he used to be in the 90th or so for both. We just can't help but laugh at the cycles our kids go through. Bailey was a skinny-mini tot as a baby and now she's a solid big kid. At one point, we thought Jake was actually going to catch up with Bailey before he turned two. Well, he decided to stop gaining all that weight and only grow in height. lol. So.... that is that.

Many of you probably already know that I have been a little concerned about Jake's speech development and some of his OCD tendencies. Jake shows lots of emotion toward the people he knows and loves, he makes eye contact, plays with others most of the time, etc. However, he has a very difficult time in new situations (we often have to coach him through things), he is obsessed with Spiderman and Batman and not much else, his speech is somewhat delayed, and he seems to live in his own world at times with no interest in meeting new kids. He'll play with people he's used to, but that's typically where he draws the line. So many of our friends and relatives have told me that this is normal for a child his age and that we are being silly to note it. Yet, I didn't want to ignore anything. I can remember my youngest brother being very similar to Jake in personality and progress, especially as it relates to being social. He never really liked other kids or most people and really had no interest in getting to know them. So... we have hoped that he's just like Colt. And, the good news is that the doctor seemed to think I was overreacting. She did not make me feel like I was crazy, but did reassure me that she thinks he's developing normally, that he is probably a little more shy than most kids or maybe even not interested in other kids because he doesn't know how to approach them. His obsession with Batman and Spiderman and killing bad guys is very common. And, she thought his speech was fine. She said he was a lazier speaker than some kids his age, but that she didn't think it would have an impact long-term and to continue just working with him on enunciating. She also said she thought a lot of that was because I compared him to Bailey and because Bailey often speaks for him, solicited or not. So... a very big sigh of relief. I honestly thought she was going to suggest that we have him evaluated and entered into some kind of speech therapy, so I am very relieved. And, even more relieved to hear that everything else is OK. She did laugh and say that his OCD tendencies might need to be checked later, but that most likely they were just things that he was never going to change, regardless of what anyone said or did. She does want us to watch his social skills as he plays in soccer and swimming lessons for the next few months. If he doesn't improve, she wants us to get him evaluated. With that being said, I've already noticed on several attempts of asking Jake to make friends and helping him say hello that he's making progress. So, here's to hoping that the doctor is right.