Sassy Pediatricians

Lulu got her 4 month vaccinations on Monday.  It sucked.

She got them at her new pediatrician's office. 

We recently broke up with Pediatrician #1 (after being treated poorly for about four months).  I never actually got around to interviewing pediatricians while I was pregnant.  So we went with a one-woman practice that came very highly recommended.... 

We should have switched practices after the first appointment, when she not only made me cry, but also made us wait 2.5 hours to be seen.  She was an excellent doctor.  We really trusted her opinion and valued her dedication; BUT...we did not appreciate her blunt, extremist comments, nor did we like waiting for hours on end and/or being rescheduled time and time again.  So we switched.

And that sassy pediatrician charged me for it!  25 bucks!  25 lousy bucks to transfer Goosey's file.  The nerve!  AND we even picked it up!  I've never paid to transfer files, and we've changed doctors several times over the years.  Naturally, this pissed me off.  And naturally, I let her know that.  Good riddance!

Enter Pediatrician #2.  I like them.  I really do.  Their office is in Fountain Hills.  They actually have a staff.  They were recognized as one of the best doctors in Arizona in some magazine.  We're cool. 

What's not cool is the sassy nursing staff.  I just can't escape the sass!  They're not the friendliest bunch of gals, at least they weren't until they heard two words:  exclusively breastfed.  Not that that should matter to them, but their tone instantly warmed when they asked about Goosey's diet.

It doesn't personally bother me, so long as my little Goosey girl receives good care (and in a timely manner). 

Who me?

Has anyone out there experienced a similar situation?  Or noticed a difference in attitudes of health care professionals when it comes to breast milk vs. formula?

The awkward and personal things...

...that people say, ask, and share with you when you're a mom.

I hear the strangest things when I'm grocery shopping, getting gas, strolling through the mall, you name it.  Having a baby is like an invitation for unwanted small talk.  I realize that might make me sound like an evil old shrew, but its the truth.

People will come up to me and ask a pretty generic question, how old is she or what's her name, just so they can tell me about THEIR children or THEIR birth weight or THEIR chronic asthma.  I do not freaking care cashier lady!  Give me my damn receipt, and let me be on my merry way!!!

No really, I do NOT care.

Grocery shopping used to be very therapeutic for me (pre-Lucy).  I used to take my time, stroll through every aisle thinking about possible new recipes....  Now its a game of speed.  In and out.  I even made a comprehensive shopping list to help move things along.  It doesn't matter though, because at least two people will stop me in the store to tell me all about how they were in labor for 45 hours and had a 13 pound baby..

Some of the weird things that I've been asked and/or told....

(Male) cashier at Fry's...  Was your husband in the room for the birth? 

Florist at Safeway (after first, VERY clearly, glancing at my boobs)...  So you're breastfeeding?

Co-worker (that I am not close with by any means)...  Did you lose all of the baby weight yet?  Did you get a lot of stretch marks? 

Fellow Costco customer...  She's so big!!!  She must have been a big baby to birth!  Did you tear a whole lot?

Nurse at Pediatrician #1's office...  THAT'S a c-section baby!!!  I can tell by the head!

Bag boy at Safeway...  You must feel a lot of relief carrying her on the outside now.  You were pretty huge!

My least favorite, and unfortunately most common comment, You're not feeding her enough!  

HAHA!  You're hilarious.

Am I the only one?  PLEASE tell me some of you mommas have had to deal with comments like these!

My baby is phat.

Not FAT. 

Both of my siblings, most of Casey's siblings, Casey, and myself were all big babies (90th percentile and above).  My brother actually weighed 10 pounds at birth.  It was only natural for Lulu to follow in our footsteps. 

We love our big girl.  Big babies are the best babies.  Big babies are all I've ever known. 

I do not overfeed her.  And she is not a formula baby (no one ever believes this).  She is a perfectly healthy, perfectly beautiful baby girl.  We love each and every little roll on our Goose.

Today, at Costco, some jackass came up to me and said:

"WOW!  She's bigger than my six month old!"

And my response:

"WOW. I don't care!"

Happy as a clam, before "the incident"...

I'm a little peeved...

My daughter's name is LUCY.

Acceptable nicknames include Goose, Lulu, and variations of both.

Despite the endless options for addressing my sweet little Goose, there are A LOT of people that like to refer to her as "the baby": 

"Are you bringing the baby?"

"How's the baby?"

"I want to see the baby."

She is a person, just like you and me.  How would you like to be called "the girl" or "the boy"?  Parents don't debate over names for months and months to have it completely disregarded.