Cough cough, sneeze sneeze: off we go!

Isaac, along with the rest of us, has been battling a cold for the past week and a half. While this cold hit me exclusively as a sinus thing, a week ago Isaac developed this unique and disturbing phlegmy cough. At first it was just something that happened at night, which sucked because it would wake him up, but now it is pervasive throughout the day as well. He never ran a fever or anything, just had a snotty nose (which is nearly cleared up). Nevertheless, the fact that his cough is so gross and has lasted for so long -- coupled with the knowledge that his older cousin Nate, with whom he had interaction over Christmas break, is recently cured of pneumonia (!) -- drove me to take him to the pediatrician yesterday afternoon. I called this morning and they were able to schedule him in after his naptime.

While Isaac did not enjoy anything about his visit from the second he got in the exam room, I am so glad we went. I have naturally been worried about his picky eating, and the nurse weighed him with his clothes on on the baby scale. Unless his ear-shattering screams weigh something, I believe he has gained weight, as he is now up to 28 lbs 2 oz. That was good to know. Shortly thereafter (note: not 45 minutes!), Dr. Modi walked in the room and the screaming began again. However, his sweet and lovely doctor was so patient with him and tried all of her doctor tricks to get him to calm down. Not that any of them worked, but she did take her time to make sure through all this writhing and wailing that he would not be too freaked out AND she would get all the observations she needed. Her conclusion was that Isaac does not have an infection -- his lungs and ears (yay!) were clear, and thus his cough must be coming from snot dripping down the back of his throat. And then, on top of my being impressed with her incredible patience with my uncooperative child, she, like a conscientious doctor, told me she didn't want to give him antibiotics for his cold, but that I should call back if he spikes a fever or anything.

It is so wonderful to have a pediatrician that you just adore. We even talked a bit after she was done with Isaac about U.B.'s impending arrival, and while I had called her office earlier to make sure, she confirmed with me that she does take on newborns and that she or someone else from the practice would visit U.B. at the hospital, so now both of my kids will grow up under her excellent watch.