18 month old check-up

Lexi visited the pediatrician this morning for her 18 month old check-up. After we took her to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in January and they took seven (horrific) viles of bloods from her arms, we received a comprehensive summary of their medical findings and the laboratory evaluation. We had given the doctors at Vandy the immunization records we received from the nurse at her baby home.

So the reason they had to take so much blood from her that day was to test the antibody titers in her blood to see which immunizations were good. I thought if her shots had all been up to date, we could avoid having to start all over. Fortunately, the Hep A and Hep B were good. But the polio immunization was "below the level considered protective". The Vandy pediatrician, Dr. Rothman, said it probably had not been stored properly. We also discovered that she had not been immunized against chicken pox and they recommended that the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) series be restarted. Her DTaP (diphtheria and tetanus) was okay for the series to continue without having to restart them.

So today, after our local pediatrician pronounced Lexi completely healthy and on target developmentally, we waited for the nurse to bring in the cocktail of shots for her poor little legs. Just last week, I took Liam and Preston in for annual check-ups and they both had to get shots and the dreaded finger prick (see top photo). They were none to happy about that and Liam even cried a wee bit. Lexi went with us that day. I thought it would help her get used to the doctor office. Well, I think the little smarty remembered exactly what was about to happen. She was happy as could be until the Dr. left the room. Then, she started fussing and trying to make her escape.

She got four shots today, 2 in each leg. But after a few giant tears, she was all smiles again. I swear the immunization shots were so much easier than having all that blood drawn at Vandy. If we had it do over again, I think I'd rather restart the shots in the legs rather than draining seven viles of blood from her arms.

For the record:

1-12-09

Length: 28.9 in (7%)

Head Cir: 18.3 in (66%)

Weight: 24 lbs (63%)

4-10-09

Length: 31 in (25%)

Head Cir: 18.8 in (67%)

Weight: 25.6 (60%)

At the Moscow Embassy Doctor appointment, Lexi was 20 lbs and 28 inches. (She was 19 lbs the day we picked her up from the Baby Home.)