John and I brought Ari and Evie in for their double-header well child check-ups on Wednesday. I was initially going to do the appointments solo, but John was working the PM, so he offered to join…which ended up being incredibly fortuitous. I threw my back out lifting Evie’s carseat out of the car (I’ve never felt so old: 30 going on 70, I tell ya!), so I’ve been having a rough go of it the last couple days.
Though Evie needed all the typical six-month shots (body armor, I love it, but a little sad in the moment), I was thrilled that Ari could have the flumist (a spray in the nose) instead of the standard flu shot. Ugh! We should have elected for the shot. At the split second, Ari twitched her head, and the syringe must have hit a capillary or something. Blood everywhere! My poor toddler was inhaling and swallowing her own blood and completely mystified as to why, why, why this was happening to her.
I (in my mind, smartly) packed a very special treat (a piece of Ari’s favorite chocolate from Trader Joe’s…the one with peanut butter and jelly), and promptly gave it to her for putting up with the ordeal and being a relatively brave little girl. Unfortunately, it had partially melted-congealed-melted in the diaper bag, so now John was covered in Ari’s blood, melted chocolate, peanut butter, and jelly, and he had about 30 minutes before he needed to leave for work.
It all made for a spectacular scene in our Subaru Forester: John, annoyed at best, floridly pissed at worst about being late and stained and sticky; me, eyes shut and bracing my uncomfortable, crooked body at every turn and bump in the road; Ari and Evie, both asleep so quickly but with faces and hands caked with dried tears and snot and blood and chocolate.
To better moments (captured by Julie):
anna in med school 
Ah, the realities of parenthood. 😛
ha! indeed! thanks so much for the support 🙂 xo