updates galore (sorta) ...

normally you'd expect to see a weekend update in this space.

but today we went to the doctor. so of course, pediatric update usually trumps weekend update.

and, incidentally, we took him to daycare following, so "school update" will be on the docket tomorrow.

but, the pediatric update does not have much to update you on. the big update is that jack has become scared of the doctor's office.

he was okay going in to the reception area, but once we went to the examining room, the wheels came off the proverbial wagon. maybe it was the receptionist in shamrock deely boppers that set the tone. like a scary clown -- supposedly festive, but actually terrifying.

before i had even tried to undress him, jack was hysterical and screaming. mommy persisted, and got him stripped down, but he still sits on the infant scale to be weighed. have you ever tried to make a freaked out, naked 21 month old sit on one of those and stay put so you aren't touching him? well, you should because it's *really* enjoyable.

finally, we decided that we would try later to get his height and weight. later ... like next visit!

and when doctor dana came in, he was scared of her but warmed up after she gave him some plastic bed pans and wooden tongue depressors (both clean) to play with.

and she was "pleased as punch" (her quote!) about jack's progress. she said that even without the weight, she can see from his healthy-looking little body that he's doing great. (Ed. note: I'm guessing he's around 27.5 pounds ... and close to 34")

mommy reported the development of the day, which came as we scurried to get out of the house for our 8:15 appointment. jack heard some counting on tv "1-2-3" and he responded "fowr, five, sis!"

wow.

we had heard him "counting" along with us as we enumerated the stairs up and down, but this was the first time he had done it by himself, as an extension of hearing something else. he still has no concept of counting, per se, but he does have the memory of the sequence of words, which is still pretty cool.

after much lauding and complimenting on the ped's part, it looked like she and he reached a détente ... until it was time to listen with the stethoscope and look with the otoscope. then, it was back to screaming like amy winehouse going back to rehab.

we decided, based on his fear of the doctor and his impending trip to daycare, that we would forgo his hep-a vaccine this appointment and do it at a later time. good call, dr. dana!

we then hauled across town to daycare, whereupon being told that we had arrived at "school," jack broke down into a quivering mass of tears and trembling lip again. mommy gamely got him out of the car, headed into the center and dropped him off. even a proffered snack of veggie booty and dried apricots (two faves) did not stop the weeping.

it was a hard morning for old jack. and for old mommy and daddy too.

but we're a-wearing the green ... erin go bragh! and we're hopeful our little leprechaun has cheered up and his irish eyes are smilin'. if not, he'll be screaming like a banshee ... and that's irish too!

but actually that's irish in the overrun-with-snakes-and-potato-famine sense of irish ... so, yeah, let's hope he's more of the rainbow-and-pot-o'-gold type by this evening.

and, by the by, we had a lovely weekend, that included an early st. pat's celebration, which we'll update you on very soon.