First Grown-Up Doctor Visit

Today I took Ella to the doctor for a check-up.  Because of James' upcoming birth last fall, I ended up cancelling the 3-year check-up a couple of times and finally gave up on it.  I wasn't too worried about missing it because our pediatrician told me that if everything was fine, they just needed to see them sometime between 3 and 4.  The only thing that made me nervous for Ella this time around was the fact that she hadn't been in 2 years so everything would be new.  And it's one thing to give a baby a shot (they don't know what's coming) but quite another to give a shot to a big girl.  Ella has always acted beyond her years at the doctor's office, though.  She had to go to the ENT several times (also 2 years ago) to have her ears cleaned out, and she sat so patiently through all of that.  


I tried to prepare her for everything as much as I could:  You'll have to go the bathroom in a little cup, they'll give you a shot, and it just hurts for a second; they'll look in your ears and in your mouth, etc.  She responded to my preparation very well, but with children you can never be sure what will happen.  Sweet Ella did not disappoint, though.  


The visit started the way I thought it would (urine in the cup), but I was surprised with all the other things we did.  It really was a "big-girl" trip to the doctor, and Ella handled it all so well.  The nurse conducted an eye exam with shapes.  Ella also had to put on a hospital gown and have her finger pricked.  She was such a champ.  She jumped up and down (on one foot and two), drew a circle and a cross, and got a vaccination in each arm.  She sat in my lap facing me while she got the shots and didn't make a peep.  The doctor and the nurses were super-impressed.  


When it was all over we went shopping at the mall.  Ella got a chocolate milkshake from Chick-Fil-A and we had a really great time.  After the mall we stopped by the library.  Ella truly has become a grown-up companion.  She was so sweet and so much fun.  I'm so proud of my girl.

Waiting for Shots

Ella picked this pose all by herself.

She asked me to take her picture at the fountain.