Being 3 and Southern Living

Yesterday I had my 28 week appointment and brought James with me. It's the time when we meet all the doctors in the practice just in case I go in to labor and my Doctor is not on call or for some reason cannot make it. You know ... to get to know their faces and get a sense of their demeanor. When I was signing in, James remembered the bowl of chocolate and asked for a piece. I told him we could get one after the appointment. Anyway, every time I go, I have to give a sample which requires a trip to the bathroom and a cup. James was very interested in this and the whole time we were in the bathroom, he's asking questions concerning the cup and why and can he have one too.

We emerge successfully from the bathroom and enter into the room to see the nurse and meet a new doctor in the practice. First of all, she's a doll and James was like enamored with her within seconds. From the appointment, baby's heart rate is in the 150s as it has been the whole time and I'm measuring a week larger than I am. It was a pretty quick visit. As the doctor is answering questions I had (my feet get red and tingly now after walks - just a second pregnancy type thing - no worries), James asks, "Mom, can I have chocolate from the bowl now?" I told him we could after we were finished and then he replied, "I want you to have one too Mom. And you Dr. Williams, you did a great job, you could get a chocolate." The doctor smiled and laughed and said thank you to James.

After the visit, the receptionist told me I had to complete some forms that all patients are being asked to update. So, we go and fill them out, I return them, give her our insurance card to copy and we just wait for the card back and the receptionist says, "I have to scan it, you can wait in the waiting room." I had just given James a miniature Milky Way. The timing couldn't have been worse. I thought we were leaving. Now I faced the very serious situation of a three year old on a sugar buzz in an enclosed waiting room full of pregnant women. Excellent. You can imagine the rest. Oh but wait, you can't. James, in a voice that only emerges when he is enclosed in a small space, begins to ask me if he can't pee in a cup like I did. I told him that just the pregnant girls get to do this and he then declares that he would also like to be a girl and pregnant. Could he now have a cup? This continues. The lady next to us is barely keeping it together. Every set of eyes is on me, judging me and my child with chocolate covered fingers expressing his desire to not only be a pregnant lady but to also pee in a cup.

After about 10 minutes, I finally convince him to read 101 Dalmatians. After the book, I get up and go back to reception. The nurse that we saw much earlier asks why we're still here and I say politely but loudly, "I'm just waiting for my insurance card." Everyone in reception looks up, the lady finds my card and sheepishly hands it to me. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're finally out of there. 

On the way down to the parking garage, James announced to the elevator full of people that I peed in a cup. To celebrate, we again went to Yolk. It's like a tradition now.

In other news, James has been saying "Yes Ma'am and Yes Sir and No Ma'am and No Sir" randomly. I suppose it's not so random but it just needs explaining and I need advice. So, I moved around a lot growing up and landed in Georgia for high school. You said your Ma'ams and Sirs and if you didn't (which I learned very quickly) there was a punishment and a even more convincing not fitting in feeling. Sooooooooooo, I adapted and said my Ma'am's and Sirs. Now, some odd years later, I still say Ma'ams and Sirs when I am responding to people in various situations and James has heard me and he has started mimicking me. He asks about it too - why you say yes ma'am Mom? I told him that he could say yes please or no thank you and that it just sometimes comes out of Mommy's mouth a different way. Should I encourage the Ma'am's and Sirs? What do you guys think? 

Here's James yesterday resting his feet because his feet were red and swolden.

 I love him so much.