Checkup

Olivia, my mom, and I went to see our pediatrician, Dr. Dameron, today for OJ's 9-month checkup.  She's 21 lb 7 oz and 29¼ inches long (90th percentile for both) and her hemoglobin is 13 something (10+ is good).  The bandaid on her finger is from the finger stick for that test.  She held still while Dr. D looked in her eyes, mouth, and ears.  He is always surprised at how tolerant she is with all the poking and prodding, and I'm always surprised when he says that because I naturally expect all babies to be like mine.  She wasn't due for any scheduled vaccines but got a seasonal flu shot (and I got mine last week).  We discussed the H1N1 vaccine and Dr. D doesn't have any reservations about using it, but doesn't think we really need it either.  I said I was hesitant to be first in line (the first vaccines arrived yesterday) and said he felt the same way.  Dr. D did say swine flu is pretty mild in young children and they've mostly seen middle-schoolers and older with the disease locally.  I'm adopting a wait-and-see philosophy as the vaccinations and virus pan out.

Olivia's latest display of skill is conquering the step into my parents' kitchen.  She pulls up like it's 2 feet tall, then starts crawling. 

 
  
 
 
And immediately she'll turn around and creep down.

 
This can go on for quite some time and, each armed with a camera, my mother and I are infinitely amused by it.