The worst doctor's appointment EVER...
Monday was Kyle's first pediatrician appointment. Nikolai had one scheduled for the same day already so I piggy backed the two. Kevin was at work so it was my first outing with all four kids by myself. I figured it would not be that bad because MaryKate could keep Sara entertained while I dealt with the boys with the doctor.
They were great in the waiting room and all the old people sitting around smiled at Sara and her antics (we go to a family practitioner, so it is not just babies) but we had to wait an extraordinarily long time so they were all at their limit by the time we got called back. While one nurse was weighing and measuring Nikolai the other one was weighing Kyle all in a tiny room... two nurses, four kids and I in a 5 X 10 room... CROWDED! So MaryKate decided that the best way to entertain Sara would be to take her into the hall and run races with her. Yelling and squealing and running in front of people. By the time I got them called back to me and reprimanded the nurses were at their wits end and said "Let's get you a room to help you keep these kids contained." (Let me tell you, I felt like "Mother of the Year" after that comment.)
Once we got into the room the kids were great until the doctor came in. Since Kyle had just fallen asleep we started with Nikolai. I was sitting in the chair, Nikolai was on the table, Sara had claimed the doctors chair but he willingly stood next to Nikolai, talking to me across the room. Sara was happily spinning her toy dog around on the doctors stool but MaryKate wanted to sit and spin. So instead of helping entertain her, MaryKate pushed Sara's toy off and sat down, causing a 20 month old to understandably scream and push. MaryKate did this THREE times, me stopping talking to the doctor each time to reprimand her and remind her what she was supposed to be doing. The doctor left the room to get Nikolai's prescription at which point MaryKate got a very stern talking to and was sent to sit quietly next to Nikolai.
When the doctor came in Sara had abandoned his chair so he sat down next to me. Nikolai and MaryKate were being great, playing "dead" on the table, laying still and being quiet, I couldn't ask for more :). Unfortunately Sara had abandoned his chair to climb on the unstable, rolling, metal stand in the room. I told her "No" and took her off but as soon as my attention was back on the doctor she started climbing it again. I was holding Kyle on my lap so I grabbed her arm with one hand to help her down again. The table tipped in the process and she got hurt somewhere, I'm not sure where, but she started SCREAMING at which point Nikolai and MaryKate decided they had been good long enough and started to fight. Sara screamed so hard that she ended up passing out (something she used to do on a regular basis but has not in about 6 months). The doctor took time out of checking Kyle to make sure she was okay. She came to in minute and started a steady cry, which nothing I did could alleviate. ALL this time the big kids had been squabbling, so as soon as she came to I snapped at them to stop and had MaryKate climb down and come sit on the floor next to me.
So here I was with Sara crying in my left arm, Kyle, as good as gold, in my right arm, the doctor at my right side trying to be patient and answering all my questions over the din of crying and there was MaryKate, sitting on the floor next to me... POKING SARA IN THE LEG!!!... because, you know, she wasn't crying hard enough already (sarcastic eye roll)!
I asked the doctor about flu shots and when he went out to get one ready for Nikolai, Nikolai threw a fit about getting a shot. Fortunately for him the nurse came back in and informed us that they were all out but we could be put on their waiting list or we could go down to Walgreens where they were giving flu shots. As soon as she left Nikolai started back-talking to me saying "We are NOT going to Walgreens, I'm tired and need a snack and we've already been here FOREVER!" Now, I had no intention on going anywhere else with these kids for a very long time but the last thing I needed was him talking to me like that so on the way out the door HE got a lecture.
We usually get in and out at this doctors office but it must have been an extra busy day, we were there for about 2 hours and missed the lab to finish Kyle's PKU test (so I still have to go back... big sigh). We got in the car and the kids were not allowed to talk the whole way home (and for about an hour after, if I remember correctly). They got their homework done, chores and piano practicing done, ate dinner and were sent to bed at which point Kevin finally got home so I sat and cried and cried. He gave them a lecture the next morning and had them write apology letters to our doctor for behaving so badly, a better consequence then I could have thought up.
Granted, I've learned my lesson... a baby sitter is a MUST when going to the doctor's from now on. I used to take all three kids with but apparently adding one more is just too much to ask.
9 comments:
The great thing about parenting is that just when you've got it down, it changes. Sorry you had such a hard time, especially since your number of doctor visits are exploding.
If you don't mind my asking, is Kyle showing symptoms of PKU, or is it just routine screening? I thought they did that with the heel prick at the hospital.
No symptoms, it is just the routine screening. They did the heel prick at the hospital then a follow up is required a few days later at the pediatrician's.
I don't mind you asking at all, by the way :) Good question, I should have clarified.
That's it, you are officially Super Mom. Just BREATHE. :-)
I'm stressed out and all I did was read it...
:)
Kris.
holy hannah batman
Oh, what a tough day you had. I bet as soon as you had your cry, some hugs from Kevin, and a little rest, you started strategizing about what to do. You have been so creative and logical in strategies to make things better so many times. Isn't it lovely that you have 2 children in stages of constant adoration of you, at the same time 2 others are occaisionally going thru waves of disrespect?!! Hang in there! Love, Mom :-)
I hope your strategy to make that day better was a whole gallon of rocky road ice cream and a good movie, because that's what I would have done. In fact, that is probably what every one of the millions of mom's who have been in a situation exactly like that one, (with four kids in four different ages and stages, with four different temperaments, crammed into a doctor's room that no one really wanted to be in in the first place) would have done.
You nailed my strategy pretty well, Amy, except it was a carton of Breyers chocolate cherry ice cream and a recorded episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" after the kids were in bed. I am just so glad that it was my better half, and not me, that came up with the solution, and I'm extra glad that I can laugh about it now.
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