He's got to be the only child in the history of the world....

....to leave the doctor's office screaming because he did NOT have a shot.

A little background....

Sadie had her pediatric dentist appointment yesterday at Children's Memorial in downtown. I explained to him that Sadie had to go to a special doctor to look at her teeth because of the owie in her mouth, but he got to come along and watch. On the way there, he randomly told me that his belly hurt. I asked him if he needed to stop to go to the bathroom - the usual culprit with the "belly hurts" description - and he told me no. After a little more probing, I figured out he was telling me this so that he could get to see the doctor too. I explained to him that this doctor only looked at teeth and couldn't help with his belly. Thankfully, he took that without much question and dropped the belly issue. (Think he's a little jealous of all the doctor attention his sister has been getting?)

(Side note: This appointment was much better than the plastic surgeon's visit as far as the kids' behavior went. I got smart and bought Sam a new movie to watch on the portable DVD player to keep him occupied, and thankfully Sadie allowed herself to be held so the dentist could get a look in her mouth. Now the hour and a half trip to downtown is another story.....why are people in Chicago unable to drive efficiently when there are flurries? This is Chicago - it snows EVERY YEAR! It should not be a surprise and really, how hard is it to remember how to drive in it?!

The trip was also marked with Sadie "doing her business" about 30 minutes into the drive - and when this girl goes, she goes A LOT. And since she was strapped in a carseat with very little space for the "business" to go, she had No. 2 up her back almost all the way to her neck when I got her out. I seriously have never seen so much poo on a kid in my life - it took 1/3 a box of wipes to get her presentable enough to take inside. Thankfully I had another outfit in the car - the shirt she had on just went in the garbage.)

But anyway......so today we went to the pediatrician because I thought Sadie might have an ear infection and wanted to make sure I got it checked out before it got really bad and might interfere with her surgery happening in a couple weeks. Here are some highlights from my conversations with Sam this afternooon.

On the way to the doctor:

Mom, is this the belly doctor?
No.
But my belly hurts. Can I see the belly doctor?
No. This is the ear doctor. (So that may have been a little bit of a lie.....)
Why are we going to the ear doctor?
Because I think Sadie's ears hurt.
From when I pull on them?
No. (What is he talking about?) I think it hurts on the inside of her ears.
My ears hurt from pulling on them.
Well....this is for the inside of the ears.
Like if I stick my finger in my ear?
No - DO NOT STICK YOUR FINGER IN YOUR EAR! (I figure I have to keep this kid from injuring himself so that he can see a doctor too.) Maybe if you ask him really nicely he will look in your ears too.

So the very kind doctor humors my son, looks in his ears and even listens to his chest with the stethoscope and declares him good to go. Then it is Sadie's turn. She gets the same treatment, but then the doctor has me hold her upside-down while on my lap so he can get a look in her nose and throat too. And, of course, Sam wants the same - never mind the fact that it made his sister cry.

Then I ask if Sadie can just get the immunizations I was going to bring her in for tomorrow now instead of having to come back. The doctor says that's fine, and that she could also get a flu shot. I briefly think Sam is going to get one too, so he is all excited that he gets to get a shot like Sadie. (Does he not remember what shots are?!) Then, unfortunately we figure out he can't have one today since he hasn't been seen there yet for anything else, and it is not good. I try to tell him that they don't have any shots left for boys today - just for baby girls. I promise to come back another day to get him his shot. (I know - there are many of you reading this that are completely sick about the fact that I have a kid who is asking for shots - yes, I know how lucky I am.)

Our conversation as we are waiting for the nurse to come with Sadie's shots:

Mom, please, please, please, please can I have a shot?
No - remember honey, they don't any left for you. (OK......another lie.)
But I want one.
You can't, babe. They don't have any left for little boys.
Then I will just sit here and wait until they are ready.
No - they won't have any ready today. We'll have to come back another day - special - just for you!
NO! NO! (So much for avoiding screaming.)
Honey, they only have baby girl shots today. I promise we will come back.
Can I get little again to be a baby and get a shot?
No. It doesn't work like that. I'm sorry.

And then Sadie got her shots and I left with both kids crying - one from getting shots, one from NOT getting shots.