9 Month Check-up

Since we had been in Montana, the 9 month check-up with the doctor came a few days later than usual. Ashton did so great--he really is the bravest boy in the world. As soon as we came in, all the nurses kept ooo-ing and ahh-ing over how big and cute he's grown...although, I wonder with all the kids they see if they really remember him and mean it, or if they just say that to make you feel good! :) Like always, they told me to strip him down and then they'd be right back. The second I had his clothes off, he dove to the ground to explore all the fun cupboards and drawers he could reach. (That's his newest interest. Which is why we have tupperware all over the floor at home.)

When the nurse came back, she had to draw blood. It was his first time ever, so I didn't know how Ashton would react. She sat him up on the table and took out the poker and stabbed his big toe with it. Ashton didn't even notice! Then he wasn't bleeding enough to fill up the tube, so she started squeezing and squeezing to get it to come out, saying, "He just must not be a bleeder!" Of course, Ashton just sat there, totally calm, watching her violently squeeze blood from his toe. Not a peep, people! It was crazy! Then, she put a little bandaid on his toe, and went to get the doctor. That's when I took this picture:

As soon as I snapped it, I noticed he was pulling at the bandaid. I looked down and he was suddenly gushing blood everywhere! Like she'd severed an artery or something! All over the table and himself--yuck! The doctor came in as I was hosing him down in the sink. He looked at little blood-covered Ashton, looked at the blood-covered table, and asked, "Everything okay in here?" It was funny.

So anyway, Ashton is still great. He's 28 inches long (32nd percentile) and 16 lbs. 13 oz. (3rd percentile). Since he's so low in the weight catagory, the doctor lectured--I mean, encouraged--me to stuff as much food in him as I can. So that's what we're working on! And of course, his shots that day didn't even phase him. As soon as they were over he jumped down and happily played with the drawers again.

Like I said...tough as nails. :)