Given the choice between ripping a bandage off and easing it off, I’m one of those people who wants to get it over with quickly, no matter how painful. Thus, James’ two big appointments — vaccinations and 6-month heart-followup-slash-physical — came to be on the same day. I’d like to be able to say it was more stressful for me than it was for him, but we both know it wasn’t me getting needles jabbed in my thighs or gagging on a tongue depressor.
Despite these traumas, James did beautifully and was smiling and bouncing 10 minutes after his shots. (His vocal expressions of displeasure did, however, make it very hard for the doctor to listen to his chest.)
And after our day of bandage-ripping, I am pleased to announce that James has no shots for six more months AND (drumroll, please) his pediatrician could no longer detect the murmur. He will have a cardiac echo at 1 year old to make sure the hole is completely gone, but our particular doctor has a local reputation for having a good ear for murmurs and arrhythmias and for him to be unable to hear James’ is excellent news.
James is nursing a slightly warmer temperature than normal, but he’s his usual happy self otherwise, and it’s needless to say that after today’s news, we’re more happy than usual. Oh, and in case you’ve seen a recent picture of James and wondered whatever happened to that teensy little preemie who was floating in his 3-5 lb. sleepers just six months ago, well, he’s been replaced by a little sumo wrestler who measures 26.5 inches and weighs in (butt naked) at 15 lbs., 6 oz.