Four Years Old

Yes, I know she's been four for almost two months, but today was Lizzy's well-child checkup. She's healthy, active, academically ready for kindergarten in that she knows most of her letters and all her colors/shapes and can count up to x and can draw a recognizable human figure, but by no means ready socially, physically, or emotionally. Which is fine, since she has at least one year, maybe two, before kindergarten starts for her. Her height is dead on average at 40 inches, and her weight is above average (but has not deviated from her own personal curve) at 40 pounds. Since she was 36 inches and 36 pounds at 36 months, I like the symmetry of her being 40 inches and 40 pounds at 4 years. The otoscope was about 600 times harder on everyone than the shots.

I asked about several things - our doctor says she always enjoys my bulleted lists - and came up with the following answers: Even if she is hyperactive - and Doc R is not ruling it out but does not like to diagnose ADHD this young because many children her age are this bouncy - she's definitely on the behavior-modification-not-drugs side of things. This will undoubtedly make our lives easier as she grows up. She may have hay-fever type fall allergies, based on the runny-nose-sneezing-constant-undereye-baggage-without-fever symptoms. Next time she has one of these days when she is like this, give her a children's benadryl and see whether she reacts. If the symptoms are relieved, then it's an allergy. If not, probably a cold.

And then we tried to get home. Note to self - never schedule doctor appointments after four on a weekday; the traffic causes much suckage. But at least Lizzy and I - she with a sugar-free lollipop for being a Brave Child - made up a new song. See if you can guess the tune.

When you're angry at the traffic calm it down,
When you're angry at the traffic calm it down,
When you're angry at the trafficand you'd like to get home safely,
When you're angry at the traffic calm it down.

Don't sneer - it did work.