4-Year Check-up

Madeleine had her 4-year-old check-up today, and here are some of the highlights.

First of all, she continues to be way taller than any offspring of Ethan and I has any right to be.  At a whopping 42 inches, Madeleine is in the 91st percentile for height.  And she finally hit 40 pounds, meaning she's old enough and heavy enough to ride in a booster seat in the car, rather than a child car seat.  Hooray!  (I'll admit I was already using a booster once she turned 4, having weighed her at home myself, assuming she would be given the go-ahead at the appointment anyway.)

In general, Madeleine had a grand old time at her appointment today.  She was chatting up the nurse like they were BFFs from the moment we headed towards the exam room.

MADELEINE: Guess what?  I'm FOUR!
NURSE: You are?  When did you turn four?
MADELEINE: On my BIRTHDAY!  (hopping up and down in excitement) On October SECOND!

I'm glad she's finally willing to face the music and admit she's four, rather than two.

Madeleine also chose to share some not particularly relevant or appropriate information during the course of her exam. 

NURSE: (upon taking Madeleine's blood pressure) So it's 84 over 50.  That's great!
MADELEINE: But why is it not a HUNDRED?
NURSE: Well, if it was a hundred, that would be too high.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  Because one HUNDRED is OLD.  A hundred is when you DIE.
NURSE: (at a loss for words)

And then there was this:

NURSE: So in a few minutes, Dr. Bassler will come in to check you out.
MADELEINE: But MY favorite name is Emily BINX!

Madeleine also had the nurse and I suppressing our laughter during the hearing test.

NURSE: Okay, I'm gonna put this thing in your ear, and when you hear a beep, I want you to say "beep!"  Okay?  So what are you gonna say when you hear a beep?
MADELEINE: BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
NURSE: Good!  Okay, here we go.  (inserting the device in Madeleine's ear.)
MADELEINE: BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
NURSE: Good.  Okay.  (continuing the hearing exam)
MADELEINE: (staring ahead blankly)
NURSE: Did you hear another beep?
MADELEINE: Uh...BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

The nurse then removed the device and explained that Madeleine needed to say "beep" every single time she heard a beep, not just the first time.  The test then resumed, and Madeleine took to trying to match the pitch of each individual beep she heard.

NURSE: Okay, here we go.
MADELEINE: BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
NURSE: Good.
MADELEINE: (in a high-pitched squeak) BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
NURSE: Good job.
MADELEINE: (in a low voice) BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

She definitely wasn't afraid to show a little personality, that's for sure.

After the nurse had finished, the doctor came in and asked Madeleine some questions, the answers to which Madeleine provided in as detailed a way as possible.

DOCTOR: So, do you stay home with Mommy, or do you go to school?
MADELEINE: Um...um...um...some days are NOT a school day for me or for Julia, and SOME days Julia has school and I don't go to school, and...and...
ME: (cutting in) But do you go to school?
MADELEINE: (delighted) Oh!  YES!
DOCTOR: And do you have fun at school?
MADELEINE: Yes!  Riding biiiiiiikes, and playing with my friend Viiiiolet...
DOCTOR: And have you learned how to cut and glue?
MADELEINE: Well, I can only cut ONE cut, and then cut ANOTHER cut, and then ANOTHER cut.
ME: Well, that's how you're supposed to cut, honey.  One cut after another.
MADELEINE: (making finger scissors over the side of her hand) Lookit!  I'm BETENDING to cut my HAND!

The doctor also tested Madeleine on her understanding of her own and my identities.

DOCTOR: What's your name? 
MADELEINE: (brightly) Madeleine!
DOCTOR: And what's your last name?
MADELEINE: (equally as brightly) Rowe!
DOCTOR: (pointing at me) And who's that?
MADELEINE: (staring at me with furrowed brow) Uh...uh...uh...uh...that's COURTNEY.
ME: That's my name, but what do you call me?
MADELEINE: (bright once again) Mommy!


Madeleine succeeded easily when tested on her counting skills and her identification of shapes and colors.  The area in which she failed?  Standing on one leg.  All it took was one second before she toppled over.  Am I surpised? No.  This is the wipe-out queen we're talking about here, the kid who has fine motor skills that are possibly better than my own, but who can't manage to walk in a straight line.  So I now have homework: I am to work with Madeleine on balancing for 3-5 seconds on one leg at a time.  If she gets the hang of this, does that mean she'll stop face-planting all the time??

The visit ended with two shots and two finger pricks, and Madeleine was SUCH a brave little trooper that the nurse gave her FOUR lollipops as a treat.  Being the sweet little sister that she is, Madeleine decided to save one of the lollipops for Julia. 

I will end this post with yet another of Madeleine's staggering displays of genius.  During our car ride, we had the following conversation.

ME: Can you guess who I love?
MADELEINE: Uh...Madeleine??
ME: How did you know!
MADELEINE: Because.  Mama.  You SAID to guess, so I guessed Madeleine!
ME: But how did you get so smart that you guessed right?
MADELEINE: Mama.  Because.  You're my DAUGHTER.
ME: I'm your daughter, huh?
MADELEINE: (brightly) Yes!
ME: Are you sure about that?
MADELEINE: (brightly) Yes!  (thoughtful silence) Uh, Mama?  Actually, you're not my daughter...uh...I'm YOUR daughter.

Sometimes I am absolutely blinded by Madeleine's powers of intellect.