Bye Bye Docteur

Hi Everyone-

Sorry it has been a couple days- things have been busy in Brand Land! The rest of our weekend was fine and dandy- nothing major to report. But yesterday was our first big doctor's appointment. So, Mama cleared her work calendar and off the 4 of us went to the UW Adoption Clinic for Pediatric Medicine (whew, long name) for the kids check up with our favorite pediatrician Dr. Davies. As some of you know Dr. Davies helped us evaluate Ana and Sasha from 14,000 miles away on Trip 1 and then on Trip 2 he was super duper awesome with helping figure out what was wrong with Sasha when he was sick and helping us figure out how to treat it. So, YAY Dr Davies. He was great with the kids and did better than anyone else could have. The visit on the whole, however, was pretty darn traumatic for the following reasons:
- underground parking garage (the kids have a very real fear of something being over their heads in terms of tunnels, overpasses, underground parking etc- no idea why but both of them have this little quirk) but they were troopers and didnt freak out too much. And they made it onto the elevators too so good for them!
-Then lots of paperwork for Mommy while Papa played with the kids and some waiting around.
-Off to be weighed and have our height and hearing test taken- all pretty okay- not too scary but still stressful, especially when we had to take off our beloved tufli (shoes) for part of it- that is still hard for Ana as she loves her shoes and doesnt want them to dissappear.
-The clinic had a translator there- apparently that is required if one of the kids is over 3 years old- we tried to tell them that Ana wouldnt talk to a stranger but c'est la vie. She was a nice lady but I think she wasted her morning. She decided to leave before the actual exam because it was obvious that it wasnt something we needed and we were all behind schedule.
-Then we had some more waiting and the kids had to change into these cute hospital gowns- which they did not like at all! And then Mama and Papa and the doctor talking for what seemed like forever and then the EXAM- Sasha went first and he was very very good and passed with flying colors. He may need a tonsilectimy (sp?) but it is not an emergency so we just received a referral to a specialist for him and then it was on to Ana. She was so not interested in being examined I cannot begin to explain it. It is scary and yucky I know but Papa was holding her and the Dr. was being great but she just hated it. So it turned into a very quick exam to lessen the drama and trauma all around. All seems fine though so that is great! She did learn the word Doctor though on the way in (Docteur if she is saying it) and she spent the whole time crying and saying NO DOCTEUR, NO DOCTEUR- Yikes!

Then the shots! They each had to have a couple shots - just the dire ones and we are back for more in a couple weeks. And then the blood draw- 4 vials each. This was the worst part- both kids hated it so much and especially poor Sasha - it was like his poor little heart was being ripped out. I do think it may have been more traumatic for me than for them in the end. But they both survived, the people in the lobby of the lab must have thought we were murdering them, but they survived. The lollipops in Mama's diaper bag helped. As we got into the car (which they were so happy to see) Ana started chanting "Bye Bye Docteur, Bye Bye Docteur" and got Sasha to join in. They did this the whole way home almost, only interspersing the chorus of their favorite ditty, "I want to go home aka Nasha Dom" every now and again. Funny.

Mama took off for the office for a few hours and Papa held down the fort with some lunch, nap time and play. A couple minutes after Mama got home we had a scare while Sasha tumbled down 6 steps downstairs, but he bounced right back up. Thank goodness kids are so pliable and resilient- I guess that is why they are also clumsy and fall down?!? Then dinner and bed. They actually got on my lap and let me read them a story- a first for us!!! It was sooo exciting. And I got to stay in the room with them until they fell asleep- no tears or screaming about No Mama! I think we are making real progress there. I mean Aaron had to be in the room too, but still, real progress is being made on the Mama at bed time front and that is good. I guess they must trust me more after the trial by fire that was the Dr.'s office. So, YAY!

Gotta Go!
SKB