Flu shots

Took the kids to get flu shots today (well, not Brynn...she has to be 6 months so will get hers next week).

Braden had already gotten his, but I had not, so I got one too. It had been a LONG time since Blythe has had a shot. Last year she just got the H1N1 nasal mist thing, so I guess it was 2 years ago, when she was 2 that she got a flu shot. Ethan got an H1N1 shot last year, but he didn't remember. So when I asked them this morning, "Who wants to get a shot this morning!?!?!', they both said, "ME!". Ha! Maybe Ethan remembered a little because then he said, "It's just a little tiny shot, right?". Right. Here was my plan:

Mommy goes first (and acts like I can hardly feel anything)
Blythe goes second (and I make sure to tell her to be brave and not cry so Ethan doesn't get freaked out)
Ethan goes last (because he's definitely going to cry)

This plan did not work out as nicely as it had played out in my head.

Blythe completely lost it when she got a shot. She just kept crying and making sad faces and just couldn't believe we had let those nurses do that to her. This did little to calm any fears Ethan had. So he started crying when they wiped the area with an alcohol swab. And then of course screamed when they gave him the shot.

But he got over it quickly. Blythe did not.

Prior to the shot I had told her about getting shots when she turns 5. So at the doctors office after the shot she said, "I don't want any more shots until I'm 5". So I agreed. No more shots until she's 5. Later in the car she said, "Mom, I thought about it and I decided I don't want any more shots until I'm 6". Unfortunately I had to inform her of the horrific news that shots are required before she goes to kindergarten.

I also found out at the doctors office that Ethan never had his flu shot booster. I now remember forgetting to bring him back when he was a baby. Then last year because of the H1N1 crap, the kids didn't get regular flu shots because no one had them. So great, now I get to bring him back to the doctor in a month for a shot again. And now that he's almost 3, he's going to remember and it's not going to be fun.