First things first. I mentioned I didn't tell the girls, right? Cuz that just would have been days of worry for them and definite sleepless nights. I know my girls. So right after I picked them up from school, just as they buckled their seat belts, I told them that we had a lot of fun things planned for the afternoon and evening. One of which was going to my parents' house for dinner and to decorate their Christmas tree. It's always fun going to grandma's. But I let them know that wasn't all the fun things I had planned.
Their eyes lit up at all the "fun" possibilities. Then I told them that we had to do something very important and hard first. And then I told them. Flu shots. Immediate screaming and the flowing of tears. Petrified, is what they were. I almost started crying right there with them in the school parking lot. Genuine fear. I.felt.horrible. As you do, as the mom, knowing you have to do this, but it really is going to hurt.
We went straight to the appointment. All the way, the tears, and I'm talking them down. Explaining that it's just fine to cry, but for them to try to be brave and not have the fit--no screaming, thrashing, kicking, slamming doors and stomping down the hall of the Dr.'s office yelling at the top of your lungs, "I'M NEVER COMING BACK HERE!"That might of happened exactly like that the last time we had shots.
I explained the rewards for not having the fit, again telling them it was okay to cry and be scared, but that I was there and it would be quick and over before they knew it. That we would go directly to Target and buy the High School Musical 3 soundtrack and then go straight to Toys 'R Us and they could pick out something (small, but special). And then go pick out a pony.
By the time we got there, the screaming had stopped and I had a 7-yr-old trying, trying, trying to be brave. Talking herself into it. Reminding me that she was so scared. My little one was a little puddle of tears in her booster seat. That sad, sad cry that does.you.in. Then my sister showed up, thank the heavens above. And we went in. The crying stopped. Amazingly. Did I mention we prayed in the parking lot? Specifically that it would not hurt. That was important.
A-girl surprisingly informed me that she wanted to go first, a lone tear sliding down her cheek. Oh, my brave little girl. Rachael and I decided to let the girls go in one at a time. A-girl cried the entire time. A gentle little brave cry. We looked the other way and counted to "10". It hurt, but it was over. She got stickers. Hugs and kisses everywhere. Rachael took over and O-girl came in for her shot. She told me she might have to scream. I reminded her about the pony.
We looked the other way and counted to "10". She uttered a little hiccup cry, and matter-a-fact stated, "That didn't hurt." And it was over. She was in disbelief. She said she didn't even feel it. The rest of the night she mentioned about 153 times how much that didn't hurt. She said she was fine with the flu shot from now on, but no other shots (cuz those hurt).
So we went to Target, still dropping brave little A-girl tears up and down the aisles. She declared her shot actually did hurt. But she really was being brave about it. So we got the CD and the HSM3 soundtrack took us to Toys 'R Us. By the time they heard the second song on the soundtrack, I'm pretty sure they forgot they even had shots, at least for the time being. And again...amazingly...they found these little gumball machines just inside the door...they were like $2 each. So within 2 minutes we had found our special prize and were back in the car busting a groove to HSM3. All the way home.
I just have to say, this is NOT how it goes. This is just not how it goes down when we go to get the shots. They were the best little girls on the planet. Some days are REALLY challenging. My girls can very easily feel like 10 wild and crazy kiddos wrapped up in two. But some days, some moments...and it is always when I least expect it, they just flipping rock my world.
This is how we ended up our evening too...at grandma's house. Which is seriously *almost* better than a pony.
4 comments:
Poor girls! I had to take T to get the flu shot, the MMR and the polio. 3 shots. That was the first time he ever cried or complained about having a shot. before that he never did. So I did not handle well, considering he had to sit on my lap and my knee was hurting like ####!
On the other hand, I don't understand why people are so afraid of shots. My parents always make a point we were never afraid, especially me. I used to beg my parents to take me to get a blood test. I know, I am just not normal...
Did Chris make it home okay?
Oh, poor baby! It is the worst, I tell you! I'm "weird" like you and don't mind the shots, or getting the blood taken or anything. Probably has to do with having open-heart surgery when I was little and having to actually stay in the hospital for a while. I actually remember a lot of things about it and they amazingly aren't bad memories.
Now hubby totally faints...ALL THE TIME, when getting his blood taken, etc...He.is.a.mess. Oh, I should REALLY blog about the time he got his first tattoo...oh yes, I think I will. ;P
We are off to do the decorating at Nana's today.I am glad there were not big disasters with the shots.
Awww...we have some serious ordeals over any kind of shot here too.
Last year ('07) the girls' dad came along for their physicals and shots, wanting to not miss anything in the girls' lives. The "ordeal" with him there was 10 times the battle if he weren't. With him there, I had to physically hold them down and he had to help...me on the legs, him on the arms. It was ridiculous. And I think I lost some of my hearing that day.
He's decided he doesn't need to participate in that part of their lives anymore. And this year was so much easier. I didn't have to chase anyone down the halls (like 2 years ago) and didn't have to wrestle anyone, either. I DID have to move some of the furniture to get Alli out of hiding, but that wasn't soooooooo bad. Meg was very brave and mature about it. It was quite a relief.
Post a Comment