Cate is 11 Weeks Old!

“She Looks Like a Million Bucks” This was Dr. Buchannan’s official assessment of Miss Cate a week or so ago at her 2-month check up. She weighed in at an impressive 10 pounds, 13 ounces, and she has grown three inches since she was born. She is still our lengthy lady—she is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 80th percentile for height. When it came time for the doctor to report on the all-important measure of head circumference and he delivered the news that Cate is in the 20th percentile there I tried not to look concerned about her first below average mark. (Not like we hadn’t noticed she has a small head, but still.) “Totally within the range of normal,” Dr. B assured me. “So she still has a big strong brain in there, right?” Yes, he assured me, she does. Take that, Lake Wobegon!

Poke! Besides her physical, Cate also got shots at her 2-month appointment. Some of my mom friends have told me this was one of the worst experiences of their lives, but I didn’t really think it was that big of a deal. She got one vaccination by mouth and I got a real kick out of how she kind of stared down the nurse after it was in her mouth like, “Well, you got it in there, but you can’t make me swallow.” Of course, the nurse eventually won out. Then came the poking, which was quick. Cate only cried for about 30 seconds and then she was fine. Fine for about six hours, that is, until she had a total meltdown around 8 PM. Sam was at work and I knew that what I needed was … Baby Tylenol.

I had actually tried to find some before Cate’s appointment, but hadn’t had any luck. Then I forgot about it, until the biggest meltdown of Cate’s little life. I called a friend from church to ask her to bring me some, but all her kids were in bed and her husband was out of town. Thankfully, she called another friend who promptly arrived with Children’s Tylenol, the box of which clearly stated it was for 2-3 year olds. As she was getting Cate’s dose ready she said, she said, “I know the box says 2-3 year olds, but this is definitely what you need.” Just as I was considering my Rookie Mom comment about not feeling comfortable with this big kid stuff for my 10-pounder (and dismissing that idea because this woman has four kids) she said, “Did you know I’m a nurse at Primary Children’s Hospital? I work in the E.R.”

There have been only a few times in my life I’ve been more grateful that to have held my tongue. It turns out .4ml of Children’s Tylenol is basically a miracle dose of a wonder drug.