Off to the doctor

Hudson caught a cold last week from who knows where and (lovingly) shared it with his father and I. This week has been a taxing one as we focus on chugging orange juice, wiping noses, and refilling the vaporizer every spare second when we aren't shoveling snow. Little man appeared to feel better this morning--just in time for his 18 month doctor appointment.

I was a little put off at the beginning of the visit as the nurse weighed Hudson three times because she didn't believe that he really lost weight. Nothing major-- just 1/2 pound-- since December. Of course he has not been eating much this week, so I wasn't surprised. But she was and I went back and forth between the scale and exam room a couple too many times with a diaperless toddler on my hip. Then upon measuring Hudson, the first time, the nurse sees that Hudson has not grown an inch. More concern. So she measured him two additional times. Amazingly, he grew a quarter inch between the second and third measurements. Finally, I ask to see the doctor who clarified that Hudson is indeed on the proper growth curve, but his 12 month length measurement has to have been wrong. It is way off.

Here is where we are today:

Weight: 27 pounds 14 ounces (75%)

Height: 32 3/4 inches (65%)
The doctor did not seem put off when Hudson jumped straight off the exam table and into my arms when she came at him with a stethoscope. We got just one shot (no more until he is F-I-V-E!!!!) and have a surprise (!) ear infection (right ear only). Finally, Hudson appears to be on target for what he should be saying  and doing at this point.

As a treat to being out of the house for the first time all week --and to encourage his new obsession with animals-- I took Hudson to the pet store afterwards. We walked around for over 30 minutes making friends with a ball python, a Italian greyhound named Phoebe, and a whole gaggle of shrieking parakeets.  Here is Hudson's new squirrel buddy on the feeder outside our family room window.