Today was Nicholas’ first appointment at the pediatrician’s office in Garner. After filling out the interminable paperwork which often asks the same billing information five times over and the requisite (but ultimately worthless with all of the government-imposed loopholes!) HIPAA privacy declaration, we were ushered into the office to await our consultant.
We didn’t have to wait too long for Dr Johnson who was very engaging and thorough in his examination. We were pleased to find out that Nicholas is now one once above birth weight (now 5 lbs 9 oz) and his lungs sound clear as a bell. We also had a fair amount of time to get to know Dr Johnson and he had some good observations on being new parents, the most important being you know more than you think you do. OK, so that’s really Dr Spock’s idea…but it’s true!
One copay later, we’re on our way to show Nicholas off to a few of Grammy’s Longaberger friends and then back to the house for some well-earned rest.
Of course, the first golden shower christening goes to Daddy who was nailed by a certain mischievous son in the prone position during a diaper change (good aim, kid…that was one shot in a million!). Anyone who has been to a Fayetteville Force/Cape Fear Fire Antz hockey game knows the chant by heart when the home team scores a goal: he shoots, he scores…hey goalie, you SUCK! It even says so on the gag gift apron from the Fayetteville gang (which I was stupidly NOT WEARING at the time of the diaper change). Memo to self: remember your Star Trek training and when there is an unknown ship in front of you…SHIELDS UP!!!!!!
But it’s all good in the end..after his afternoon feeding, he slept all cuddled up in my arms for a good two hours and the only reason it ended was that I was starting to nod off and it was time to head off for a massage / mostly nap with Julia.
It’s a sobering thought I’ve had since I first held him in my arms. Here is someone who loves you no matter how lousy a day you’ve had or how big a jerk you’ve been. Here is someone who trusts you so much to comfort and protect them that they’ll sleep quite soundly without a care in a world knowing you’re there. And heaven help the person who tries to interfere with that or hurt this beautiful child because that loving feeling is one thing worth fighting tooth and nail to protect.