Wanna do shots? Oh, wait...NOOOOO!

So, I took Sophie to her 12-month check up and poor baby had to get five shots on her birthday!

She did pretty good, though. Because she loves music so much, I played her Stray Cat Strut from The Stray Cats on my phone (Thank you, Genius!) and she was dancing and clapping through most of the visit.

Then two scrub-wearing nurses came in, laid her down with her feet dangling over the table. She was shaking the phone joyfully when they said, "Mama, can you get her hands, please," and then it hit her....

Five sharp things were slamming into her tender flesh (I'm not kidding, these women are brutal fast) and she LOST it. I mean, not break-your-heart, whimpers (although it did break my heart), but MAD, get-the-heck-away-from-me, sobs. She was kicking at the nurses and I even had trouble holding her little hands down. I felt so sorry for her on one hand and on the other hand, I thought, "Wow. She isn't going to be pushed around."

However, 60 seconds went by and she was fine.... Grabbing lollipops out of a plastic Frankenstein head that screamed and cackled when she stuck her hand in to get the candy. Her mouth would drop open and she would laugh out loud, basking in the attention of all the adoring, clapping, ooh-ing and ahh-ing nurses...with big fat tears still hanging on her cheeks and two huge Halloween Band-Aids stuck to each of her tiny thighs.

I am so in love with her.

Blinded by the light

I made an eye appointment for Ham last week and she went to see my optometrist a week before her first birthday. Is there something wrong with her eyes? No, thank goodness. Does there have to be something wrong with a baby's eyes before going to the eye doctor? Goodness, no.

My doctor, Dr. Hammonds (the coolest optometrist, ever), is part of an incredible and generous program called InfantSEE. (Please click on the link and it will help you find a doctor in your area.)

This FREE program is for babies from 6 months to one year (so make that appointment NOW). It's FREE. Did you hear me? FREE! Yes, I wrote that correctly. FREE. No copay. Nadda. Nuthin.'

Now, I'll say this. Ham is not big on anyone messing with her eyes. I guess no one really is, right? She didn't cry when they put the patch over one eye (so cute) to test her vision or dilated her eyes. However, once her eyes were dilated, she did NOT want a light shown in them.

So, the experts at Eye Care Associates, Hoover were amazing at getting her to cooperate. They used scientifically proven methods like turning her upside down, using every toy imaginable, and finally, two eye care techs, Dr. Cool and I sung, "See See My Playmate" at the top of our voices (not to badly...although we didn't know all the words). I wish I had video taped it. That's what it took to finally get her to sit there happily humming along shell-shocked at our genius ridiculousness. Besides, she loves music.

This program must be taken advantage of before your child's first birthday. And let me tell you, it's not dumb to take a baby to the eye doctor. Studies show that many eye problems can be corrected if caught early on. Just ask my aunt, my nephew and my cousin! Or your eye doctor.

So, get out there and get your little one an appointment. Or be proactive and tell your friends and family about this program. You can't give an excuse to FREE!

BTW, I think the first time I saw Dr. Hammonds was when I was sixteen, on the week of Halloween. I had my hair in a bazillion little braids, wearing a floppy purple, crushed velvet hat, and yin-yang earrings. Yeah. I'm not sure what I was supposed to be. A hippie maybe? Probably.

However, Dr. Hammonds said, "Cool earrings" and I felt immediately accepted. That was huge for a scrawny little girl who felt like a complete outcast in her teenage years....

Um, no wonder with outfits like that, huh? LOL