Sarah 12month checkup

I brought Sarah for her annual check up this afternoon.  The minute I drove into the parking structure, Sarah began to cry, as if she was afraid of something. I wasn't sure if she was just afraid of the dark winding parking structure or did she have a previous memory of that place, knowing that it led to the doctor's office? Can't be the latter, right?  She's too young to have that kind of association, especially it was 3 months ago since I last brought her to the doctor's!  Sarah continued to cry more in the elevator.  She seemed to be very scared of the confined space especially when the doors closed.  Even when I took her out of the stroller & carried her, she cried hysterically.  She finally calmed down when we got to the waiting room. So when it was time for her measurements and for the doctor's visit, she was fine.  

weight 21 lbs 9.5 oz (57%)
height 30.25 inches (82%)
head circumference 18.7 inches (96%)

Overall, Sarah is doing just fine. She is right along the growth curve, maintaining her weight, height and head circumference for her age.  She is also developing on path.  After the doctor's visit, it was time for Sarah to get her vaccinations.  We waited a while until the nurse called us in so Sarah spent her time walking around the big waiting room.  Then the 3 shots.  She cried and cried and this time, she didn't stop for a long time.  Previously, she stopped crying after the shots came out.  This time, she cried longer than normal... then of course, we had to go into the elevator to get down -- so more crying.  And of course to make matters worse, Sarah had to get her blood drawn to test for her blood count and lead levels.  I had the option of taking the blood test today or at 15 months.  I thought mind as well get it all done.


At the lab, I had to hold Sarah down and basically pin her legs inside my thighs and hold her really tight.  Of course, she resisted. Of course, she was besides herself.  Tears rolled down her cheeks like waterfalls - her face turned beet red.  The nurse had to solicit another nurse to hold her down because she had to prick a needle into Sarah's vein for the blood draw.  And boy, silly girl was STRONG!  Thankfully, the nurse was successful finding her vein the first time around and after a few minutes, it was all done. After a distraction by her blocks, she finally stopped crying. She was so tired from all the commotion that she zonked out in the car on the way back home.

Sarah examining the bandage on her arm from her blood test