Will he let me.....?

Today I took my Baby Tate down to see his ENT (a dear friend from college who I adore!!) for a follow-up to his tube placement on June 15, 2010.  The left tube seemed blocked during the audiology exam and lo and behold besides being covered with wax it has become a bit dislodged.  We anticipate it falling out in the near future.  The right tube is looking great!  I even got to see the tube in the left ear!!  It's a festive aqua color, but I could see how it has changed position (I saw it last year).  As long as Tate remains ear infection free or responds to therapy if need be we will let it all be.  Crossing all fingers and toes and praying to our phenomenal God that that will be the case.


So, why the title of this post you ask?  The sweet nurse brought us back and did a quick review of systems and minimal vitals...temperature was a needed vital.  She asked me if Tate would 'let' her take his temperature in his ear.  I looked at her like she was a loon, and said 'yes of course he will seeing as how you need it'.  He's not even 2.  In my opinion there is no 'will he let an adult do anything?' unless it's unnecessary.  You need to see in his throat because he might have strep throat or it's part of his physical?...I'll hold his head back, put his legs between mine so you won't get kicked and hold his arms down.  You need to see in his ears because he has a history of ear infections...I'll hold his head still.  You need to see up his nose...I'll hold his head up.  You need to clean his teeth...I'll hold his arms and legs down while you do it.  I have to get the gunk out of his nose so he can breathe and hopefully not get an ear infection...I'll straddle him, hold him down and squeegee it out.  He needs his teeth brushed morning and night...he gets held down if he won't cooperate.  You get my drift.


So in my world there is no 'the child will LET the adult.'  I cannot tell you how annoying it is in my line of work when the parent comes back with the 3 year old who is getting ready to get shots in her gums for a cavity and the mom sits there stroking the kid's hands while she fusses and flails about.  HELP ME PARENT!!  Because the minute your child reaches up for my hand, grabs that needle and gets poked in an undesirable place it will not be pretty.  


But I want to know what the issue is here.  I cannot tell you how many parents tell me their 1, 2, 3 year olds etc won't 'let' them brush their teeth.  Tate has no choice.  They are getting brushed.  Easy way or hard way, but it's happening.  When did we become a society of parents who let their children dictate the necessities of life?  I'm not making him walk in traffic.  I'm not asking him to run a mile barefoot on hot coals.  I'm not suggesting he rock climb in 20 degree weather with no coat.  These are things that he needs to have done for his health, his safety and his proper development.  I'm thinking I will never know the answer.


Suffice it to say, Tate didn't want his teeth brushed tonight.  So, we did it the hard way.  And for his inordinately bad behavior, he only got one story read to him as punishment.  (I seriously doubt he understood what I was saying about the book!).  But his teeth are brushed and as soon as I stopped he grabbed the brush and chattered on "Brush!  Brush!!  Teeth!"  Like nothing had happened.


So, today began our 4 day weekend to celebrate the 4th of July and this great country of ours.  Tate's little daycare had a 4th of July picnic.  I dropped him off with some potato salad as I had an appointment to get my hair colored...those important things!!  :).  We spent the morning hanging out watching videos of him on my phone which is he new favorite thing.  By the time I left him there at 9 his classmates were outside playing, and he was having fun when I left.  Those teachers are awesome!  It was about 90 degrees this morning at 9am.  What a blessing that they know these kids love being outdoors and sacrifice their comfort for them.  I picked Tate up right after naptime and we were off to Clear Lake to see Jim Grant!  


All in all, a great start into Tate's birthday month.  My goal is blog everyday until his birthday!  I so want to wrap these minutes, days, months and years up and bottle them to remember how amazing it is to be his mother at each and every different moment in his life.  It still boggles my mind that I am his mother.  I am somebody's mom.  Today as we waited for his appointment he pointed to my lap and said 'Lap, Mama, lap!'  That's the first time he has asked to sit on my lap.  It was so so sweet.  I adore cuddling him.    And I love hearing him saying 'Mama'.  He puts the emphasis on the first syllable, so it comes out sounding a bit 'foreign'...MAma.  I love it.  I love this boy.  I love our life.

It was a difficult ride to the doctor's office.  He screamed and cried the last 10 minutes for reasons only a fellow toddler would know.  Hence, the red face in the picture!