More SHOTS!

Since school is starting it is time for more shots for the kids. Samuel just needed one, Jacque two, Calista three, and Ellen got four. I mentioned the day before we were to go that we needed updated on our shots. Samuel was excited and wanted to go right then. Jacque didn't show much emotion. Calista on the hand freaked out. She started running around the house screaming that she didn't want shots, falling down, kicking her legs (the usual tantrum). I tried to reason with her that we get shots to keep us healthy. I would rather get a shot than to get really sick and maybe die. That didn't work, but it helped knowing that we weren't going that day.

Morning came and Samuel asked when we got to go. I told him we'd have to wait until after naps. Nap time came and went, and so then we got ready to go. I decided to make this experience the best it could be, so we went to McDonalds for lunch, and then to the doctor. Calista has behaved much better today, but frequently reminds me that she does NOT want to get a shot.

We got to the pediatrician's office and they got to play with the toys for about 20 minutes. (I like the pediatrician's office because they have two nurses that will come in and give the shots together so it only feels like1 instead of 2.) They called us all back and put us in a large room where we got to wait for the nurses to get all of the shots ready. While we are waiting, Samuel starts to get a little nervous. They come in and I decide to have Samuel go first in hopes that Calista will see him get a shot and not cry. He does excellent. He lays on the table, folds his arms, and takes a breath when they poke him.

Next was Jacque's turn. She's been pretty quiet this whole time, so I don't expect much. However, she must've been getting nervous because now she's saying, "No. I don't want it to be me next. It's Calista's turn." and so on and so forth. I get her layed down and they tell her the same thing as Samuel as far as taking a breath. She takes a breath, opens her mouth to cry, but at that moment they say she's done, and she decides it was all okay. No crying!!

Calista now knows it is her turn. She starts crying, and I pick her up. She wraps her arms and legs around me, tightly, and starts crying/screaming that she doesn't want shots. I have to pry her legs off of me to get her to lay on the table. I bend down to kind of lay on her chest and hold her arms, putting my cheek next to hers in hopes of comforting. She tries to curl into a little ball, so the nurses have to scoot her down and hold her legs down. They poke her, she screams more, and then she's done!! Yeah. This whole time Jacque is laughing at her.

Ellen has been walking freely around the room, not really paying attention to what's going on. I go to get her and she points at the door and says, "Go?!" I say no and pick her up and put her on the table. She lays there like a good girl but she's not sure what's going on so she doesn't move much. I hold her hands, and they poke her. She opens her little mouth and starts to cry and then they have to poke again since she was getting four shots. As soon as they get the band-aids on her, I pick her up. She cries for a few seconds, points at the door and says, "GO! GO!" She wanted out of that place. One nurse distracted her with stickers while the other nurse filled out their immunization cards.

Now Jacque and Samuel are all done with their shots and Calista and Ellen are done until they go to school. It will be nice to have a break, but I have a feeling that 2 years is not long enough to erase this experience from Calista's mind.