We took Melly to the pediatrician to get her flu shot today. I am absolutely insane when it comes to flu shots. As soon as September comes, I'm immediately looking around for my flu shot. I got an email at work saying that the flu shots would be available soon and I immediately sent back an email, saying, "Where? When will they be available? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHEN CAN I GET MY FLU SHOT??" They emailed me back, basically telling me to chill out.
So anyway, we were planning to take Melly to the aquarium today and got her all excited about it, then realized we had made an appointment for the flu shot today. Oops. So instead, we got her all excited about going to the "doptor." She hasn't been to a doctor in such a long time, I don't think she realizes that it's not something to get excited about.
The thing that made me nervous was that she knows Mommy is a "doptor." So I was really scared that when she got her shot, she was going to make that horrible connection and think that I was some sort of Mengele-like figure who was sticking needles in defenseless children all day.
So we got her into the room to get her shot. The nurse came in and with the needle and said to Melly, "Look at Mommy."
But she didn't look at me. She looked at the needle, fascinated. She looked at the needle as it went into her arm and the nurse injected her and then put on the band-aid.
And wouldn't you know it: NOT A PEEP.
In fact, she was totally excited to get the band-aid, then a second shiny band-aid for the cut on her knee, then an Elmo sticker. I thought she was going to freak out any second, but she left that office super-psyched about her Elmo sticker. I feel like she must be the first two year old in history not to cry during a vaccination. We both hugged her and told her how proud we were of her.
I kept thinking about how she watched that needle go into her arm with such fascination, and on the trip home, a thought suddenly occurred to me:
Me: "Melly, do you want to be a DOCTOR when you grow up?"
Melly: "No."
Oh well.
It is wild to see that, isn't it? My 4 year old didn't look at the needle like Melly did, but she didn't so much as flinch when she got all hers straight right in that little deltoid. (She used to want to be a vet, lately she wants to be an actress so she better get some skills in feigning dramatic pain I guess!). By the way, got my own seasonal flu shot this week already. YAY. Planning on getting the kids theirs as soon as possible, and then our H1N1 when we available.
ReplyDeleteShe'll probably be a nurse.. given the fascination with needles lol.
ReplyDeleteYa'll can keep the needles WAAYYYY over there tyvm.
Me: "Melly, do you want to be a DOCTOR when you grow up?"
ReplyDeleteMelly: "No."
Oh well.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
So she's a smart kid as well as a stoic one. Our seasonal flu came in last week, so will get mine this Friday. My grandson, who is 4wasn't able to get his at the pediatrician last week--they told my daughter they were out of vaccine! So he's going to get it when he visits in two weeks. I'm worried he won't want to come visit grandmommy's office anymore after that. Don't think he'll take it quite as well as Melly.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie! I still freak out and can't look when they are injecting me. I used to feel bad, but most of the ICU nurses won't get their flu vaccine for some reason or other. P.S. I still remember telling my dad that I hated him for making me get my shots. And I meant it. At the time.
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to chase me around the apartment to administer my flu shot. Who thought I'd turn out to be so gung ho about it?
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of a comedian I heard a while ago, who reported his young son said he wanted to be a doctor when he grew up. Just as the dad started celebrating the drive and smarts of his son, the son added "or a dinosaur"...
ReplyDeleteGood for you for getting the shot over so efficiently!
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