Big day...big tears...

This is me showing how well I walk with my walker toy and showing you why I'm not getting chubby!

This is me on my birthday playing with my new scooter/walking toy that my "Aunt" Katie gave me. I LOVE this thing!

This is me a few days ago playing with my favorite activity table. I like to wrinkle my nose at my Mama!



Today was a big day for me. I had my 1-year check up appointment at the doctor. Mama and Papa got to accompany me and boy was I glad. I didn't know what this doctor had in store for me, but I've gotta tell you that I wouldn't have been so agreeable to attending this appointment had I known I was going to get picked on. Let me tell you about it.

I got my head measured, height measured, and weight measured. I didn't pee on the nurse this time, but retrospectively, I think I should have. I am an impressive 31 inches tall and weigh almost 25 pounds! Mama had guessed me to be about 26 pounds, but I think I've been working too hard at the walking thing to gain weight very quickly. After the nurse time, I got to see the doctor. She was very nice to me, so I impressed her by showing her that I can talk (dik 'em--which is my version of get 'em), walk (I walked across the exam room from Papa to Mama), do Soooooo Big!, and wave bye bye. I was very well behaved and even laid very still while she listened to my heart for an extra long time because I have a murmur. Papa says that murmur is no big deal and that I'll grow out of it. It doesn't bother me at all! :-) Next, the doctor got me a very nice book. It's about penguins and there is a song online that goes along with the book. I love it!

Of course, they buttered me up real good, just to pick on me. I had to get 4 shots! I was only supposed to get 3, but Papa has shingles so Mama requested that I get the chickenpox vaccine too. I had lots of crocodile tears during the shots and for a short while after, but cuddling with Mama seemed to help a lot. Now as if this torture wasn't enough, I had to get a blood draw after the dreaded shots. I had to have my hemoglobin and lead levels checked. I just cried when they poked me with the needle, but sat very still and quite while they got two whole tubes of blood. I didn't care much for the bandaid that they put on my finger afterward and so I pulled it off. That didn't do me much good, though, because I was still bleeding and ended up getting blood on my new Cubs jersey, Mama, and Papa. Then they held me down to apply pressure and put another Band-aid on. I pulled that one off, too, so Mama just gave up and held pressure for a few minutes until the bleeding finally stopped.

Mama was feeling bad about me having to get shots and get a blood draw so she took me out to dinner with our friends Shukrije and Endrit. We had a really good time! We went to HuHot and boy was that food good! I had potatoes, noodles, beans, chicken, beef, and more noodles. All the while, Miss Shukrije was doting over me while Mama doted on Endrit. I didn't mind much because I really just wanted someone to love me up!

Tomorrow Mama, Papa, and I are going to the pool again. I'm hoping that Mama will finally get some pool pictures of me so that I can blog again soon and show you all how I'm such a fish! Wish me luck in making her remember.

Well, I'd better head to ni-night. I'm pretty sleepy from all my shots and from the two molars that I'm getting. By the way, incase you're counting, that will make 12 teeth for me!

Much love...

Carter Sherman