mind your manners

thing one had his four year checkup today. i told him a few days ago he would have to go. because if he didn't he wouldn't be able to go to preschool. and he really wants to go to preschool. bad. so he agreed. but only if it was a little checkup. i am pretty sure after he thought about it he realized he would have to get a shot. or two. and if it was only a little checkup, in his mind, that would not include a shot. so, i agreed it would be a little checkup. and said nothing further. he was fine on the way to the doctor's office this morning. until we got in the examing room. and then i could tell he was getting a little nervous. just staring at the table with the white paper. we all know what happens on the table with the white paper. he got through the height and weight thing just fine. then the nurse practioner came in to do his thing. he was really good with thing one. thing one did everything he asked. except for when it was time to get up on the table. with the white paper. it wasn't shot time. but thing one was very apprehensive at this point. after he was checked from head to toe there was a look of relief on his face when thing one was told he could get off of the table. with the white paper. without getting a shot. i got him dressed only because i didn't want him to figure out the shots were coming next. and freak out. so, after a few minutes, in come the shots. and thing one got back on the table. with the white paper. with no problem. since his last experience on the table with the white paper wasn't so bad afterall. he laid down. i was holding his hands. and one of the nurse's assistants had his feet. thing one picked out his own bandaids. instructing the nurse which color to place on which leg. yellow on the left. orange on the right. life was good. until the first shot went in. legs kicking. thing one screaming. lifting his head checking the entire time to make sure the nurse followed his instructions and got the correct color bandaid on the correct leg. then the second shot went in. through all the kicking. and screaming. and crying. will looked up at the nurse and says: thank you!