Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Fifty-Two Months

Dear Peeper:
You are fifty-two months old today, four-and-a-third.

I also know that you are 38" tall and weight 38.8 lb, because we were at the doctor's office again today about your cough. And, we're still trying to figure out exactly what's causing it.

In January, he put you on a two-week course of antibiotics, with instructions to come back if the cough didn't go away completely. It didn't.

About three weeks ago, he gave you an inhaler, with instructions to give you two puffs when you're having a coughing fit, and come back in three weeks to let him know how it worked. It didn't.

So, now the next plan is a referral to the allergist, to see if that's what's going on. As luck would have it (ha), Mama just started seeing that very same allergist, and I actually had my first allergy shots last week. I hope that if that's what's causing your cough, we can control it with antihistamines (I can't take them) and you won't have to do the shot. But if you do, we can just go get them at the same time. It'll be big fun.

Right before we started with the inhaler, I was talking about all this to a guy at my new job, and he said something along the lines of, "You should make sure it's not pertussis (whooping cough)."

I thought he was crazy, but of course, now it’s been worrying me. Especially after I saw videos on YouTube and realized that you do occasionally make a sort of a “whoop” sounding inhale after a string of coughs.

The doctor said it’s not likely, since you're vaccinated (although, he did check your records to make sure you're up to date, which you are and said that the vaccine now isn’t as effective as it was back in our day, plus the reduction in “herd immunity” because of unvaccinated kids) but also because it usually runs about a 6-week course. So if you had whooping cough, she’d be all better by now.

Well that’s reassuring?

But, it’s a quick nasal swab to test for it, so we did that, over your protest (“No! I wanna keep my boogies!”) and will hear back sometime next week.

Meanwhile, we’re assuming that’s not it, and planning to see the allergist as soon as we get home from Texas.

Oh yeah, we're going to Texas in two days, and you are "So excited about Texas" that you just can't sleep. The past two nights, you've told me, "I'm gonna dream about Texas," and then kept saying, "I'm dreaming about Texas!" and telling me the details.

So, what else have you said lately?



You are definitely watching WAY too much Charlie & Lola. You've started asking to "have a go" at things, and talking about tom-AH-toes.



You came into the office dressed as a pirate, and swinging a sword around. You bonked my shoulder with it and I said, "Ow!"

She said, "I'm a pirate. That's just what pirates do. They have swords."



Note to self: The next time you try to explain malware, hacking and proper backup of websites to a four year old, wait until you've both been awake for more than ten minutes.



You were playing 3 bears, and you were Papa Bear. You walked into Mommy and Mama's bedroom, full of clothes baskets and said, "And I said in my great big voice, 'Somebody's been doing my laundry!'"



You gave me a "birthday present:" One of my "dressy" shoes, that I've been wearing to work lately with my "fancy pant." You told me it was "To go with your lady costume!" Never have truer words been spoken.



You were very, very excited about Mommy and Mama getting married, although as far as you're concerned, we've been married all along. But you got over that pretty quickly, when we started making wedding plans.

When the big day finally came, we arrived at the church only to find the doors locked. You said, "Our wedding is RUINED!"



Mama: We have to clean up. We're cleaning up the house this afternoon and tomorrow, right?
Peeper: That is where you're definitely not right.



Peeper: (for the tenth time) Why didn't you buy Goldfish at the store?
Mama: Sigh. Because I'm an awful mother.
Peeper: No, you're not. You just need to buy some Goldfish.



Yesterday you came in and told me you had the "hic-um-ups" (yeah, that's cute, but it's actually what I call them). So, of course, I was making up a song about them, and got as far as, "They go 'hic-hic-hic'..." when I got stuck. I paused and you filled in, "...they make you very sick!"



Peeper: Achoo-achoo-achoo... (several sneezes in a row) Peeper: Do you know how many that was? Mama: How many? Peeper: I don't know! Mama: Was it too many to count? Peeper: I can't count, but I can tell you this: A LOT!



Tonight you told me that your panda "Has bad breath . . . like Teddy."
I figured out you meant he has asthma, like young Teddy Roosevelt.



As always, kiddo, you're a nutty little nut, and we wouldn't have you any other way.

We love you, Roodle.


Love,
Mama

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