Penny Stock

Kind of makes me wish there was a shortage this year

We took all three kids for flu shots this afternoon. I have never been happier that Greg works for himself and is able to do these things with me in my life.

The two older kids figured out where we were going even before we left. When they were told that all three kids were going to the doctor they each asked (separately) "oh, do we have checkups?" when I told them that they didn't, they jumped to, "flu shots?" when I answered in the affirmative they both started crying (mind you they weren't even together at the time) and emphatically screamed that they were NOT going.

Luckily Ezra was still in the car from carpool and Gila weighs next to nothing. Greg literally carried her kicking and screaming to the car and held her down while he buckled her. With a few well placed threats about unbuckling the seat belt we were on our way.

The two older kids literally bawled all the way to Owings Mills to Dr. P's office. Eden caught on that something was amiss and alternated between crying and assuring us "I ok".

We decided on the divide and conquer method of taking the kids into the office once we got there. I took Eden and warned the office staff that there would be 2 hysterical children following close behind. When the older two came in wailing the office staff looked like they wanted to bolt. I don't blame them. It was 4:15 and they had probably been in the office all day with screaming kids- they didn't need two extremely histrionic G children who adamantly DID NOT WANT TO GET FLU SHOTS on top of it all.

With the help of the office staff it was decided that each kid would go back separately to get the shots so that they didn't panic when they saw their sibling getting stuck. Eden went first. She cried before and during, but she was fine within a minute. She picked her 2 Dora stickers and was then ready to look at the fish tank in the waiting room.

Gila went next. Greg carried her back crying, but he was able to physically get her back there pretty easily. Once she came out (I was in the waiting room for that one) she was able to calm down within five minutes or so. She too picked her two Dora stickers and went to color at the coloring table.

Acharon, Acharon Chaviv. Who says the oldest is the most mature? Ezra wanted us to remember what it was like when he was a baby (approximately months 0-3) and he CRIED NONSTOP. Well, true to his former self, he would not stop crying, or kicking, or screaming. He ended up under the waiting room chair at one point. Greg was ale to extracate him but then he figured out that he could wrap his legs around the chair. Well he managed to drag one of the waiting room chairs (which was a double chair incidentally) half way across the waiting room. Once Greg got his legs off of that chair, he attempted to wrap his legs around everything on the way into the examining room (unfortunately this included his baby sisters head- he truthfully didn't realize that but needless to say, it was not a pretty sight).

Once he was back there, I am told things weren't much easier. Everyone in the waiting rooms could hear the wails and it was somewhat embarrassing. A woman walked in and when her child looked scared she said, "don't worry, it is just a baby crying." I informed her that it was actually a 7 year old. My seven year old. Lucky me. At least maybe he will end up with an academy award for this, he is so dramatic.

When he came out he had cried and screamed so much that he could barely breathe. He was so upset that he chose not to get any stickers. It took around 10 minutes to calm down but once he did, he got a good laugh about the woman who thought he was a baby crying.

I am flippin exhausted now. Thank G-d flu shots only happen once a year. I think I am going to sign my children up for acting lessons. The least they could do is use their flair for over dramatics to help out the family financially.

Posted by peninah at December 6, 2006 06:33 PM | TrackBack