This past weekend we had plans to visit Washington Farms in Watkinsville, Georgia with our friends, the Citrons. We had two overlapping soccer games to attend in the morning and then the plan was to grab a quick bite and show up at the pediatrician's office in time for the 1:00 p.m. flu shot clinic and then off to meet the Citrons.
Due to the inborn drama tendencies of our youngest child, we had decided that we would not tell the children about the flu shots too early on. I had said that we were going to grab lunch and then run an errand and then head up to Washington Farms.
Once we finished lunch and were a few miles from the pediatrician's office, Pressley wanted to know what kind of errand we would be running. Corin and I exchanged the "It's Time" look and he 'fessed up. You would not believe the drama that ensued. Pressley immediately started sobbing uncontrollably about how she didn't want a shot. She promised that she would never get sick and could she please just not have to have one? I was a little worried she may hyperventilate, so I told her that there was a possibility that the doctor could give her the medicine in a spray in her nose and if she would just stop crying I would ask the doctor about it as soon as we got there.
Thanks goodness that stopped the sobbing temporarily and we were able to make it from the car to the office and through the line without drawing any stares. She was very whimpery in the waiting room, but still no staring from the other families. (Oh, and I did ask about the Flu Mist. They were out.)
However, the minute the nurse called our kids' names, she started hollering again. To make a long story a tiny bit shorter, I'll just skip to the part where the nurse had to nod at Corin and tell him to put Pressley on the table and hold her down so she could give her the shot in her leg. Another nurse appeared in the doorway just in time and came in to assist with the holding down of the writhing child. (How on earth she knew that her assistance was required, I'll never know...) Nurse #1 pulled down P's tights and gave her the shot while she sat up as much as she could under the weight of All The Arms and bellowed, "GUYS! Seriously!! Don't do it!! I don't want a SHOTTTTT! No...gasp...No...gasp...NOOOOOOO!!"
Meanwhile I had stepped out into the hallway. Honestly, I was torn between crying and laughing. The child was simultaneously breaking my heart with the earnestness of her pleas and crackin' me up with the phrasing of them.
On the way out, she was still furious and indignant and determined to scare the *@%^ out of every child in the waiting room. Another family who had been waiting for the elevator when we got out into the hallway stepped aside and let us have the elevator and "selflessly" agreed to wait for the next one rather than riding with us. All I could do was shoot apologetic looks at everyone whose mouth was agape at the sight.
I know I tend to exaggerate for the sake of a good story, but I'll have you know, there is NO exaggeration contained herein. All true and accurate. Ask Corin.
She continued to cry and stomp her feet and holler out in indignance long after we left the doctor's office. She threw her sucker to the floor. Refused ice cream. But, finally, the offer of a petit four from Rhodes Bakery with a pumpkin on top calmed her. It. Was. Awful... (The drama. Not the petit four. I didn't taste the petit four, but I know from past experience that there is nothing awful about those.)
We did finally make it to Washington Farms and had a delightful time, as usual. And, as usual, we stayed too late and had tired, cranky children waiting in line at a crowded restaurant, but it was all in the name of fun.
Slide, cow train, and John Deere "tractors"
Petting zoo and pig races
Corn crib, jumping "pillow", and visit with the racing pigs
Corn maze
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