Two-Two-Four-Five

The babies are two weeks old!  We took them in for their two-week appointment today and, of course, it was nothing short of blog-worthy. 

We arrived 15 minutes early, as requested and I filled out the necessary "brand-new patient" paperwork.  My nurse case-manager stopped by to meet the babies and as we're sitting there chatting with her, I see this preschooler running around the waiting room, coughing all over the place.  I had seen him come in with his Mom, who was talking to the receptionist, and I had seen his Mom try to get him to wear a mask.  He threw a mild fit and she gave up and then let him run around the room.  Coughing.  Next, I overheard her tell the receptionist that the child had pneumonia.  Quickly, I had Mom grab the extra blankets out of the diaper bag and cover up the babies.  My frustration with this doesn't actually lie with the Mom (although I would have put up a little more of a fight on the mask), but with the clinic.  Why is it not standard procedure to have well-baby appointments at a certain time of day and sick-baby appointments at a different time of day?  When I take Adam in because he's sick, I always feel scared for the people that are there with their perfectly healthy babies.  I make Adam sit beside me, as far away from anyone else as possible, and I always wish they would separate appointments.  Doesn't that make sense?  Just sayin'...

I had begun feeding Anaya because she was hungry (two week growth spurt means it would just be easier if I went topless for a few days - someone's always eating).  She ate for about ten minutes, then decided to check out the new scenery.  Make a note:  that's one feeding.  Nearly on-time, a nurse took us back to get the babies' vitals.  So we had to strip them down to weigh and measure them, then wrap them in a blanket in only their diaper and wait for the doctor.  When we went to undress Audie, we found he had a dirty diaper.  Dirty Diaper Count:  One.  A few minutes after the nurse left us, he returned to let us know they were running a little behind.  "How behind?" my Mom asked.  "An hour?  Thirty minutes?"  The nurse replied, "15-20 minutes, maybe.  Not more than half an hour.  I'll keep you posted."  Well, now Audie was hungry so I started feeding him.  Feeding Count: Two.  Meanwhile, Anaya decided it would feel nice to fill up her diaper, so Mom took care of that.  Dirty Diaper Count:  Two.  Audie finishes eating and a few minutes later...dirty.  Dirty Diaper Count:  Three.  And Anaya wants to eat again.  Feeding Count:  Three.  Then poop.  Diapers:  Four.  OVER AN HOUR LATER he came back, apologizing and telling us the doctor had been called out by the Wing Commander (read: very high up military person, for you civilians) and we now had to move to a different room and see a different doctor (why that doctor couldn't just come around the corner to the room we were already in is a mystery to me).  So, we gather up both babies, both carseats, the diaper bag and their clothes and move to the other room, where a Doctor promptly meets us, apologizing profusely.  Doctor Count:  2.  She examines Anaya (back at birth weight - 6 lbs. 11 oz.) and she's doing great, of course.  Next is Audie (passed his sister! - 6 lbs. 13 oz.) and his diaper is dirty...again.  Diapers:  Five.  But, he's doing great as well.  Obviously they're both eating and pooping enough, but they do have to get hip ultrasounds because breech babies sometimes have hip problems, I guess.

In short, two hours after we arrived, and two doctors, four feedings and five dirty diapers later, we learned that the babies are perfect and normal.  Great use of time, no?  They're lucky my babies are happy babies.