My Hero

So my brave little man faced the Shots monster with all the courage a five year old can muster. He asked me just before we left if the shots would hurt. I said they would, but that he could be brave. Then I told him that it was okay to cry, and that I would be right there with him to hold his hand and hug him. He seemed fine with that.

As I stood there checking him in at the front desk, my heart started pounding, and tears even started to well up in my eyes! He was so excited, so ready, so anxious to take on the next adventure. We were just a couple of giddy kids on the ride down to the doctor. I am so glad he wants to take life with all its facets head on, yet at the same time, my mommy heart is saddened that my little baby is growing up so fast. With him being my first baby, and my only son, I have such a special connection with him. I can barely believe I am a mother, let alone a mother to a five-year old soon-to-be Kindergartener.

He answered all the questions like my brilliant boy does. They were so impressed with him... and he loves it! He was so nervous and so grateful I was there with him that he just kept kissing me. He would smile at me, wink and then kiss me. Funny thing is, I kept doing the same thing. We were sharing this new milestone together and we were having fun, despite our nervousness.

They had us get the lab work done before the shots. He had his first experience peeing in a cup today and he laughed the whole time. We were both a couple of giggle boxes! After they pricked his finger for the blood screen, he says to me with a successful look on his face, "Wow Mom. My friends got shots in their arms and in their legs, and all I got was one in my thumb!" You could see all the worry and angst wash from his face when he thought he was all done and had made it through without a tear. It was a hard thing to tell him that he wasn't quite done yet.

Because the flu (strain B) is still in full swing, my doctor recommended he get a flu shot today as well. So, here I am, the mommy, looking at FIVE syringes thinking about what I can do to make my baby feel better by time they are all done. I understand why they have the mommy hold their kids arms, but I think that is absolute torture...having to be the one that holds him down! AAAHH!! I just wanted to cry myself. He was so brave though. He looked up at the ceiling and concentrated really hard. He did great after the first simultaneous two, but by time shots three, four and five came, he was breathing hard and turning red in the face trying not to cry. He let out a wimper and tears started pouring down his face, but as soon as he could get a big breath in, he wiped his tears away and was done.

I held him in my lap and told him he could cry, the nurse even told him he could, but he just wiped his eyes and gave me a kiss. My little hero... Just before we left, the nurse told him to make sure to run a lot so his legs wouldn't be so sore in the morning, and so he did. He ran all the rest of today as much as he could. It was a nice day out, so he spent the majority of it outside... running!

About 6:00 tonight he came inside with a pained look on his face. I recommended a bath to help soothe his legs and he wholeheartedly agreed. When I went to check on him a few minutes later he was almost asleep!!! AAAHH!! So we pulled him out and got him dressed for bed. After prayers Daddy gave him a father's blessing, and my sweet son softly cried all the way through it. He held his dad tightly afterward, thanked him and gave him kisses. The Spirit enveloped the room. My son has such faith...

When I went to tuck him in, I asked him if I could get him any medicine and he said, "No, Jesus made my legs feel better, just like He said he would. I am just fine." He was still crying, but I don't think it's because he was in pain.

I love you, my sweet son. Thank you for teaching me everyday about what love really is!