Pediatrician: Four Months

We went to the pediatrician this afternoon for his four month checkup with the same four vaccinations as the second month. Karston weighs 13 pounds 0.6 ounces, is 24.25 inches long, and has 16.25 inches head circumference. We went for an afternoon appointment, during afternoon nap time, so that the pediatrician would have to believe us when we tell him that Karston can really holler. Yes, he let the pediatrician have it! His doctor's ear drums reverberated! However, Karston mostly calmed down when I bounced him on my shoulder. We had to wait in the exam room longer than usual, but Karston decided to fill the time and his diaper. The pediatrician says he should start sleeping through the night soon. (Did he say that just so we can stand another fractured night?) He also said we can try rice cereal any time now, and that success with rice cereal means that half of it ends up inside. Anyway, Karston's healthy, he's awfully cute especially when he smiles, and we're happy about that.


I had a meeting at work this morning, and it wasn't worth driving to work, driving home to pick him up, and then driving most of the way back to work to go to the pediatrician. So I took Karston in to work with me. He got to meet my boss' boss, and he was enjoying the attention before he noticed the motorcycle helmet. Remember how Karston didn't like Halloween costumes? Well, when he saw a head shape under an arm, he flipped! He was sure that I work for Ichabod Crane, and he wanted the world to know that people shouldn't carry heads under their arms! I had to rush outside because his baby siren was so loud! I've heard several comments to the tune of, "Did all that noise come from such a small baby?" and his yelling even stymied a professional nanny. The only trick I've found is to place his chest on my shoulder, drape his arms down my back, and bounce, preferably by walking outside. For some reason, being outside calms him down. Luckily he's happy most of the time, but when he's not you'd better have hearing protection.