Hello!

Sorry for the looooooooong break in blogging.  I seem to have an issue posting photos right now...used up all my free space or something like that, and I just haven't had time to spend on trying to figure it out.  So I was avoiding posting but now it's getting ridiculous and I figured I should just post text and I'll get to the picture issue when I can.  I really do like looking back over the blog to read the funny things the kids did three years ago,  or what we were up to.  And they enjoy it too.  :)

We are, of course, in the middle of everyone getting sick.  Thankfully this year so far it has been bad colds and no stomach viruses.  I probably shouldn't even write that.  Anyway, I went in for my flu shot today and took all three kids (along with a helper!) for theirs as well.  Jacob and Sydney are never too bothered over injections...Sydney jumped up and down afterwards and told everyone she was so brave.  :)  Natalie is phobic over them, though.  It has gotten worse every year (at her 2 year checkup she said, "I want a new doctor!!!" when she got her vaccinations!) and last year she was hysterical for her flu shot and needed several people to hold her down.  I felt so bad for her.

So this year I decided to try to plan ahead and help her cope with the issue.  I got a prescription for EMLA cream to numb her arm.  One of our helpers, who just graduated from nursing school and has worked in the ER, told me about this buzzy bee thing.  You put it on your arm and it vibrates, which masks the feeling of the shot and distracts at the same time.  So I ordered that one as well (and found out my doctor's office already has one!).   We agreed she could bring her big huge stuffed unicorn, Twinkie.  And we talked about all her coping strategies.

I was so proud of her.  It was still fairly difficult but I could see her really trying AND it was much better than last year.  She whined off and on during the drive over, but no sobbing or screaming.  She kept it together for the most part in the waiting room.  Once we brought her back, she plopped down in the hallway and refused to move or let me carry her.  For a few minutes I thought it was going to get ugly.  But then my doctor's assistant came by and started asking Natalie what she would want to pick from the treasure box and whether she liked animals, or fairies, or bouncy balls.  Just what Natalie needed...that girl is always happy to give you her opinion!  They magically got her all the way through the hall and into the exam room.  We had to do a lot of convincing and there was screaming involved, but she did not need to be held down (just held in my arms with mine wrapped around hers to keep her in one spot).  She was very brave.

Then we reinforced the heck out of her (and the other two as well!).  The rest of the day was lots of fun and by the end she said, "Wow this was a really good day!!!"  Mission accomplished.