Lily and life

Lily had her two year check-up today, a little delayed because her doctor had to reschedule her original appointment. Everything looks fantastic. Her doctor made a comment that he couldn't believe that she was two already and that she has done pretty well to visit him so rarely in the first two years of life. I thought to myself that I'm more worried about the next few years, little daredevil that she is. She is currently 29 lbs. 3 oz. (75th percentile) and 35 inches (90th percentile). Once again, she is "proportionate". So, we're right on track. I confirmed with him that we could switch her from whole to 2% milk, and he gave the green light, adding "she is not wanting for growth". That statement made me laugh, and he was quick to add that she is in no way beyond the normal stats for her age, just that she is not behind.

She received two vaccinations today, another Hep A and the flu shot. She was so good about it; I really was amazed. When she was given the shots, she just looked up at me like, "What the hell?..." She cried a little while she repeated, "Mama, I need up". When I told her that she was all done, she was totally fine and walked out of the office telling me that she wanted "a red donut". Much to her amazement (and I even surprised myself a little by allowing it), I did let her get a donut after school, and what do you know, they did have a red donut (red frosting with green & white sprinkles for the holidays). It's the little things in life...

In general, things are well with us. Carl started his sub-internship in Surgical Oncology, once again confirming that surgery is NOT the field for him. The hours stink. Carl often begins his day around 4:30 am and usually gets home after I do at night - not cool. Like last year, December is going to be a tough month, but once we get through it, he will have a nice break for the holidays. However, unlike last year, he will be off for the entire month of January - awesome! Next semester's schedule looks fairly good after that, and I know it will all go quickly anyway because of the major changes that will be looming near. Exciting and good and crazy all mixed together.

I have been keeping myself busy with holiday preparations like putting up the Christmas tree and the outside lights. For the outdoor lights, I carefully wound lights around the rails on our little porch, put the net lighting on the bushes, hung the lighted wreath under the kitchen window, and very meticulously covered individual branches of our tree with special larger, round bulbs topped off with large snowflake lights higher in the tree. Despite the dozens of tiny cuts on my hands and arms, the sore back and shoulders, and running an electric current through my body by unknowingly touching an exposed broken bulb, it was worth it for my lovely lights display. And, it was so lovely....for about 24 hours. The second day that I plugged in the lights, only one strand (the first strand) of lights on the tree turned on when I plugged it in. Pitiful. All I can do is laugh though because what else can you do? I will search for the problem this weekend, but if I don't find it, we are going to have to do without this year because I just don't have the energy to do it again. And such is life.