In Which Kateri Has Her First Professional Photo Shoot

These days have been just flying by! I completely lost track of what gestational week I'm in, and forgot I had an upcoming appointment. Pregnancy brain strikes again! Providentially, while I was rifling through a gazillion papers in the car over the weekend, I came across my reminder card that I had a doctors appointment today Monday at 8:30. And thankfully this happened over the weekend and not tomorrow!

So off we went to see Dr B this morning. Pat couldn't come because of work, and so I was solo, with Kateri. Which, honestly, seemed like an impossible and insurmountable task. Where on EARTH would I put her while we were listening to the heartbeat? Holding her is out of the question, and she really can't sit and crawl around on the dirty floor (gross gross gross).

Last night, Laura gave me a good piece of advice: bring a stroller!

So we left this morning in the torrential downpour. It really was crazy how much water was on the roads, but we got there, and on time too. I grabbed Kateri, my coat, her cow-blanket, my big diaper bag/purse loaded with multiple distractions for Kateri, and a stroller. And yes, I carried everything . . . even the stroller, because it was pouring and I didn't want to take the time to open it (and get drrrrenched in the process! No thanks!!).

As I staggered in to Tepeyac with everything clutched in my arms , I could tell the full waiting room was staring and thinking, "Crazy Lady has arrived."

We survived the waiting-room wait (waiting room waits are pretty painful regardless, but I am beginning to realize that a waiting-room wait with kid(s) is it's own special Purgatory).

When Dr B came in to the little room, I snapped Kateri in her stroller and piled some honey grahams on her lap. She, meanwhile, smiled immediately as he walked in the room and looked thrilled to see him. Dr B smiled and after interacting with her for a bit, said, "Do you mind if I take a picture of her?"

And he pulled out his phone to snap a shot. Kateri happily obliged with another endearing smile, like a perfect model.

Whenever he would direct his attention to me, Kateri would talk louder and louder until he would look at her, and then she would wrinkle her nose and beam. She was enjoying this doctors visit way too much!

Dr B asked Kateri if she wanted to hear her brother the train (yes. that is what he said). Then, when we heard the heartbeat, he said, "Choo Choo!!!" (btw the heartbeat sounded great, regular and in the 140's. Also I found out the placenta is posterior, which is also good news).

Dr B said, "She is too cute! Can I take another picture of her?"

Me: Ok.

Dr B: "Would you mind if I use her picture in some of the power points I am putting together for presentations?"

Me: "Oh no, I wouldn't mind at all."

I wish I had asked what categories the picture would come under . . .

Maybe . . .

"Cute babies CAN happen, despite crazy moms!"

-or-

"Babies just LOVE going to Tepeyac!"

-or-

"All babies LOVE Dr B!"

Who knows. As I was about to leave, I thought of taking a picture of Kateri so I could put it on the blog and you could see one of Dr B's future slide presentations.

. . .

Kateri was Not Impressed. Not even with my best attempts to convince her to smile. And she gave me no beaming grins, and not even a half hearted smile-grimace. Just a blank stare with eyebrows slightly raised and a slightly pitying expression. I almost ran to get Dr B to make her smile again so you could see it, but he was probably in another patients room by then. Nevertheless, that is the face that will soon be gracing a presentation somewhere!