The "Looks"

Grace had her well-visit this afternoon with her primary care pediatrician. It seems like every time I go there lately all I think about is when my kids were babies. Today I showed them all the scale they were weighed on as infants. I just can't seem to believe that my oldest is now 9. NINE! My God... that must make me... oh never mind... age is just a number, right?

Grace always brings up the day she was diagnosed in that office. Since we were alone, no other kids in tow, she always looks at me and points to the chair we were sitting in together in the waiting room, right before heading back to hear of our new reality. It's our own private knowing of a time only the two of us share.

Our joke is that even though Grace hasn't been due for any shots at her last several well-visits, the doctor always seems to want to poke her for something. Flu shots, H1N1 shots, pneumonia shots, blood draws, you name it, he wants to give it to her. Sometimes we politely decline, but usually if the CDC, AAP, and ADA recommend it we go for it.

Today it was the Hepatitis A shot. After asking some questions I decided to have her get the shot. Now, I don't know about your kids, but my diabetic child, who endures 10 finger sticks every day, infusion site changes every 2 days, and dealt with 3 insulin shots every day for 9 months, she HATES SHOTS! She barely flinches when it comes to her diabetes maintenance, but try to give her a vaccine and you'd think the doctor was coming at her with a machete. One time she wedged herself under the exam table and it took all my strength to get her out. She starts to shake, her doe eyes fill with tears, and she looks at me like I'm about to feed her to the lions.

But not today. Nope! My girl started to get upset so I gave her a good old-fashioned pep talk. It wasn't the rainbows and blue sky talk. It was the get down to business talk. I reminded her that she was brave and strong, and that she was more powerful than any shot. Stop being upset and deal with it. And she did.

As we were leaving the office she gave me the look I love to see. I got the proud look.