It was a sad day. Mallory received her 4-month shots today. When the doctor walked in, I said, “I told her she was getting shots, right in her leg.” He looked at me mockingly and said, “We call them vaccines in front of the children.” I said, “Okay, then. . . you’re getting vaccines. . . right in the leg.” He laughed and said, “I guess anything ‘right in your leg’ is bad.” I love a doctor with a sense of humor. This time was worse than last time. Last time, she cried a little and got over it. This time, she screamed. . . and screamed. . . and screamed. I eventually just had to suck it up, put her clothes back on her and put her in the carrier. We couldn’t hang out in the exam room all day. Plus it was really hot in there…I suppose they do that for all the little naked babies.
So we have some good news and some bad news. You don’t get a choice; I’ll start with the bad. She has had a runny nose for about 3 weeks now. That’s a long time for a cold. We need to be more diligent about washing our hands, I guess (someone tell that to the little baby boy that held her hand the other day during a stroller ride at daycare. . . not even 4 months old and she has a boyfriend!). Apparently, she has some fluid behind her right ear. The doctor said that it could be the start of an ear infection or the end of one (that may explain the really bad night she had last week. . . on Johnathan’s shift, I might add). We have to watch her for the next couple of days to see if she’s a little more irritable than normal (how can you tell??).
The good news is that she’s growing like a weed. She is now 12 lbs. 5.44 oz. That keeps her around the 25th percentile. And she is 24 inches long. She is officially around the 25th percentile (probably about 35th). But in head circumference (which shows brain growth), she jumped from the 25th percentile to the 50th percentile! Sing it with me now. . . “Mallory got a big ole head, oh yeah!”. Goodness! You would think the child looked like a one-ended Q-tip. But she looks perfectly normal (you’ve seen pictures, right?). Anyway, I thought it was funny.
She has found her hands. I noticed this yesterday morning when I was feeding her (I was so excited that I almost called my mom but it was 6:30 am. . . way too early for her on a weekend). She was trying so hard to focus on them that her eyes were crossed. Too funny. And she’s trying to hold her bottle. (It’s the little things.) I’m really enjoying watching her learn new stuff. She will follow us around the room with her eyes and head now. Today, when I left her with the nurse to go blow my nose, she was straining trying to watch me (yeah, that was cool). Johnathan put her exercise saucer together. She was in it the other day and Cole walked by. She looked him like, “Hey! When did we get a dog??” Pretty cute.
We get to try spoon feeding tonight! Yay! I’m so excited! I’m sure that it’s going to be very messy and very unproductive, but I’m dying to try it. We’ll take pictures and video so be on the lookout.
The doctor was surprised by one thing today. Usually, babies get stranger anxiety around 6 months. Well, Mallory is already exhibiting signs of that. I was holding her, and he started using a stethoscope to listen to her chest. She was looking at him and got fussy, so he put his hand in front of his face. She calmed down. She did the same thing when he laid her down to examine her (I wasn’t where she could see me like I was with the nurse). When he was done, he picked her up and kind of swirled her around the room until she saw me. Then, she got his huge smile on her face. He told me it was because I was a face she recognized. He said, “She’s smart”. . . like there was any doubt.
So hand/eye coordination is good. . . she’s already showing signs of intelligence. . . now, if she would just roll over. . . but her motto is “Tummy time sucks!”