2 for 1 Check-ups

Technically, it really wasn't 2 for 1 because I had to pay both co-pays, but we did drag both boys in for a check-up today. Jax was over due for his 4-year old appointment, but we were right on time for Baylor's 9 month check-up.

First, everyone's favorite info: the stats. Baylor weighs 24. 5 lbs which means he has maintained his spot in the 97th percentile for weight. However, he ranks slightly higher when it comes to his height. At 31 inches, he's actually off the growth chart, but we'll say that he's in the 100th percentile! Oh, and I can't remember his head circumference, but he was off the charts there, as well. Dr. N concluded that Baylor could thank his father for the big head. I had to agree!

Baylor also showed off his new physical abilities. Dr. N asked us whether Baylor was sitting on his own. In response, Anh put Baylor down on the floor. Baylor fussed as Anh lowered him down, but once he was in contact with the floor, he took off. Dr. N was clearly amazed that Baylor was walking. She asked us, "Would you say he takes about 4 or 5 steps?" We laughed, and I told her, "Oh no. He can walk from one end of the room to the other, at least 25 - 30 feet!" She just looked at us like we were making it up.

Jax is at the other end of the spectrum. He actually lost a pound since his last check-up and now weighs in at 32 lbs. Thankfully, he did gain some inches though because he's now 38 inches tall. The bad news is that for both stats he's somewhere between the 5th and 10th percentile. Dr. N has instructed us to give him 2 Pediasure shakes a day to help boost his growth.

We also discovered that both boys have a ear infections, but you'd never know it by their chipper dispositions. Even Dr. N was shocked by the discovery. She said, "I have never seen such happy children with ear infections." I'm still surprised that Jax never complained, not because he's a complainer, but because he's old enough that I would think that he'd say something. I guess he just decided to suffer through it. Dr. N prescribed antibiotics for both, and even joked that they could almost take the same dosage because there's only a 7-lb weight difference!

The ear infection was the only negative finding for Baylor, but Dr. N was able to once again easily detect Jax's heart murmur. The murmur is something that she first detected during his first appointment with her back when he was only 2 years old. At his 3-year old check-up, she said it was barely audible and dismissed it as a normal childhood murmur that should not be considered serious and would probably disappear all together by the age of 8.

Now that Dr. N can easily hear it again, she has referred us to a pediatric cardiologist who will be able to make a better assessment of whether it's anything to be concerned about. I'll call his office tomorrow to get an appointment, and we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed that it really is nothing.

Jax also received 2 vaccination shots today, and as always, he handled it like a champ...no tears, no drama. Baylor just looked on with a smug little expression that I interpreted as him saying, "See! It's no fun is it?!" With that, we scheduled our follow-up visits for the ear infections and weight check, and we hit the road. Now, we're just crossing our fingers that no one contracted any of the vile illnesses that the folks in the waiting room were clearly contaminated with. Miracles can happen, right?