A visit to the pediatrician

We took Olivia to the pediatrician for her 5 week 'wellness' visit yesterday. I know that some of you are thinking, 'Wait, isn't Olivia 12 weeks old?' Yeah, we're a little late.

The first order of business at the doctor's office (after changing her poopy diaper) is to get weighed and measured.
Olivia's stats are:
Height -- 24 inches 75-90th percentile
Weight -- 13 lbs, 7 oz. 90th percentile
Head circumference -- 40.5 (cm, i assume) 75th percentile.
These are the percentiles for her actual age (not for a 5 week old.)

The next order of business is to get her shots. The question of what immunizations a child should be given is a controversial topic. The recommended immunization schedule recommends that a child get 32 shots by the time they are two years old. There's a contingent of medical professionals who view this as excessive. Some researchers recommend waiting until a child is 2 years of age to begin giving immunizations. The thought of poking your 14 lb child with viruses and manufactured chemicals is daunting, and when is the last time you heard of someone coming down with Diptheria? Of course, part of the reason you don't hear of Diptheria is the public health protocols to immunize us all against it, but it's tempting to be a freeloader on the public good. Alas, Olivia's mom has only limited time to research the tactical aspects of an alternative protocol (e.g., what does the daycare require?) So, I deferred to the pediatrician on what shots she should get.

The doctor recommends three vaccines, each administered as three shots over three visits. My mom points out that the extra fat on her thighs should make the shots less painful. My mother and I both cry at the sight of the tray of needles, then Olivia shreiks when she is poked with the the three needles. As promised by the nurse practitioner and the pediatrician, Olivia's memory for pain lapses quickly and she's a happy camper again once she's been fed.