About a dirty pool and a paediatrician

Since we came back from Holland, we're been busy settling back. It hasn't been too much of a hassle just a matter of getting used to the extreme heat outside, thus Sera and I have been hiding at home during the day. We would have loved going for a dip in the pool in the evenings but the pool has been closed for cleaning for a couple of weeks now. The last time I passed the pool, it was being filled up with water that was coming from a skinny hose of a tenant's garden. And what made me nearly balk was the colour of the water, it was a greenish grey. Geesh! Looks like we won't be using the pool any time soon. Well, until I can actually see the life-size mosaic image of the dolphins at the bottom of the pool, I may re-consider jumping in with Sera.

We also went to the paediatrician ( I sometimes wonder about the difficulty of the word that basically means baby doctor. I mean, 8 out of 10 can't really pronounce it ... ha ha). Sera was due for her 'well visit' and her 1 year vaccination. Sera, in general, doesn't like to be fussed at. She doesn't like her head to be touched, or the rest of her body poked or prodded at. So just a simple physical examination became a tussle, with Johan, myself and two nurses trying to restrain her to get some measurements. And to make matters more uncomfortable, Johan whispers loudly, "Bad, bad nurses!",into Sera's ear when she reaches out to him to be carried. 'groan'. I had to "quickly brush his comment aside with a chuckle assuring the nurses that Johan was jesting. But of course, we all know he wasn't!

So next, we went in to see the baby doctor for the 'well visit'. Basically, it's a pretty straightforward process whereby the doctor checks on Sera's progress, plots her growth chart and does a quick physical examination. I get a little tense especially when she starts throwing all those questions regarding her progress.

"Is she drinking from a cup"

"Err, no" (A cup! I thought drinking from a straw was pretty good progress already?)

"Is she scribbling?"

"Huh? Well ... no." (Is this doctor for real or am I really a bad mother for failing to give Sera paper and pen to scribble on?)

"Is she calling papa and mama, and knowing who is who?"

"Yes, she is ... I think? ... or but she says HI!" (That has to count for something right?)

"Is she still shy with strangers?"

"Oh was she suppose to be? Well ... she's actually very sociable and not shy at all with strangers." (Now that has to be a plus for Sera right?)

Anyway, the Q&A went on something like that and I was getting a little annoyed by the end of it, especially when she plotted Sera's growth chart and commented that Sera was a big baby. Yes, we have heard that before ... actually on every visit. And then, she goes on to ask the SAME BORING QUESTION, "Oh I wonder who was the big baby in the family?" This time, both Johan and I answered in unison, "Both of us!"

Come on, enough with this big baby talk! It's getting stale ...

Aside from feeling a little peeved, I do still think Sera's baby doctor is good and experienced, maybe a little overworked. Personally, I think if she was less methodical, she would be perfect.

Anyway, in case you're wondering why I have clumped the story of our dirty pool and our strict paediatrician together ... well, actually there's no good reason at all.

"Ah ha!, the paediatrician didn't ask about my fork skills, did she?"

Hmm, we still have to work on her habit of overturning her plate when she's had enough ...