A Mommy Story

The visit started out with a major meltdown – head banging into the door, kicking, thrashing, screaming. Cordy has never liked the doctor’s office. But today was her 3 year check-up, and Mira’s 4 month check-up, so she was going to be examined whether she liked it or not. We had rehearsed going to the doctor’s at home, complete with using my stethoscope to show her what the doctor would do, but it still didn’t stop the meltdown.

Our doctor reviewed Cordy’s evaluation from the school district, and we discussed the medical issues that go along with it. Like her lack of sleep. The poor kid doesn’t nap, and wakes 3-4 times a night, often staying up for a half hour or more before settling back to sleep. On a good night, she gets 9 hours of sleep; on a bad night, maybe 7 hours or less. Cordy is clearly exhausted most days. The doc said that sleep issues are common with kids on the autism spectrum. We’re going to look into natural methods of helping her sleep before even considering the idea of medications. She recommended a meeting with a psychologist to help address home issues that aren’t covered by her therapy at school.

As for her food allergies and eczema, she was referred on to an allergist. The doctor asked if I wanted to have her tested for high levels of lead, but I told her it wasn’t necessary. We live in a new house, we routinely check toys against recall lists (damn you, Chinese toys!), and Cordy never puts anything other than food in her mouth.

Cordy took a long time to calm down. Eventually she was calm enough to sit quietly while the doctor and I talked about her development. The doctor was smart to give Cordy time to warm up to her. Once we got to the physical exam, Cordy only squirmed and gave short protests when being touched – far better than the scream fests of previous doctor visits. It also helped that my mom came with us – Cordy is very attached to her grandma right now, and clinging to grandma seemed to calm her.

The child is still holding her status as an Amazon, although she’s slipping a little. 40 inches, 40 pounds, 90th percentile for both. That’s my girl.

Mira, though, seems to be challenging Cordy for Amazon warrior status. I know siblings can be competitive, but I wasn’t expecting them to compete in growth. Today’s results for Mira – 90th percentile for head circumference and weight, and well off the charts for length. The kid is 4 months old and almost 27″ long. Wow.

We also discussed Mira’s lack of sleep, too. Why couldn’t one of my kids inherit my appreciation for sleep? I feel like I’m at Gitmo undergoing sleep deprivation torture. Cordy’s awake by 5am, Mira is up between 3-4am … I never sleep.

What else has Mira accomplished lately? Well, there’s this:

Within the past two weeks she decided it was time to roll over to her belly and hold up her head.

And then there’s this:

Not sure what you’re seeing? Let me clarify this picture (again, click for more detail):

Yeah, that first tooth she got last week was followed by tooth #2 breaking through last night. Her favorite trick? Biting down on my nipple, then pulling off while still clamped down, sharp teeth dragging along the underside. (All the women reading this just reacted like a man when told a friend had been kicked in the balls, didn’t they?)

They’re both growing well, and they’re both healthy, which is all I could ask for. Well, some more sleep might be nice, too.