Two Year Doc Visit

My mom and I took Eddie to his two year old well child doctor visit today. I missed taking him a month ago, nearer his birthday, because of my exam.

Here are the stats:

Height: 36"
Weight: 30 pounds
Cuteness: 100th percentile
Chatterbox-ness: 89th percentile

I couldn't get an appointment late in the day, so I was stuck with 8am (no way, the angel is still sleeping at that hour, bless him!) or 1:30pm. The latter is do-able, but crappy because he is usually napping then. So I avoided the napping and picking him up at daycare issue by spending the morning at the train museum with him and my mom. Both of them had a ball...and all three of us were ready for lunch and a nap by the time we were done. We stopped by a saloon in Old Sac for a quick lunch. It was the type of place that lets you throw you peanut shells on the floor and had a bunch of arcade games in the back (meaning it was PERFECT for a loud two year old).

He promptly fell asleep in the car...and since we had 40 minutes to kill before arriving at the doctor's office, I put the cruise control to an old lady speed of 62MPH and we toodled back to Davis. Poor Eddie was cranky when I had to wake him up to go inside.The nurse left a paper measuring tape in the exam room when she left, so I let Eddie play with it to distract him. He had a good time "measuring" Grandma's foot with it. It is amusing to me that he pretty much knows how to use a measuring tape, screwdriver, hammer, and pliers in the correct way.I agreed to let a medical student shadow the doctor today. Unfortunately for Eddie, that meant having two physical exams (one by each person). I told the medical student that he'd be much happier if he could have a lollipop after she was done. Poor Eddie thought I meant that we already HAD a lollipop for him in the diaper bag and he kept asking me to find the "puppy dog" in the diaper bag. My mom and I were so confused--we couldn't understand the word he was using. Finally we realized he was saying "lollipop" and not "puppy dog." The medical student brought him a sucker after her exam was over and he perked right up. He was even more happy when he figured out how to remove the cellophane wrapper all by his big boy self!

So the physical by the actual doctor was completely fuss free, albeit a little sticky because of the sucker drool all over his hands and face.No surprise, he's 100% perfect!

Here's a list of all the newish things Eddie can do at two years old:

• run REALLY fast
• understand me when I say "walk, don't run" (not that he listens to me most of the time...)
• insist on helping stir whatever I'm cooking and pulling the cord on the salad spinner when I'm cleaning veggies
• correctly identify each of his grandparents, uncles and aunts by their respective names: Grammy vs. Grandma, Papa vs. Grandpa, Auntie Bernie vs. Auntie--meaning Jennifer but she's just called "Auntie", and Uncle Michael vs. Uncle--Edward, but he's also just called "Uncle"
• jump down steps (I'm not a big fan of this trick)
• use a shovel, and I don't mean just poking at the dirt--he can actually use a shovel to dig a hole by stepping on the blade and scoop up a remarkable quantity of soil. I'd love it if he understood that the paved patio was NOT the place to deposit said dirt...
• give the BEST and most INTENSE hugs ever. I know this phase won't last so I ask for and accept his little bear hugs as much as I can. Dave reports that Eddie is ALWAYS cocking his head to the side and asking him "Hug Mama?" So Dave helps him find me so he can give me a hug. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........!
• use the phrase "my" to identify "his" objects. Around 19-20 months he began claiming things as his by saying "this mines." We realized that we were responding with, "yes, that is Eddie's." But by using the possessive form of his name, we were inadvertently making him think that "mine's" was correct. So we started saying "yes, that belongs to Eddie" instead. For the last month or so he's been saying "this MY [insert object]." The cutest instance is when he says to whoever is listening--strangers at the store, my mom, Cassie--"this MY Mama!" while grabbing onto me. So, so sweet.