How Time Changes Things

This boy amazes me... We just got back from his quarterly ultrasound, where they screen him for kidney tumors. I remember when we first started getting these tests done... he would scream and scream the entire time. I would dread it for days before the appointment.

Fast forward 3 years... He's now 4 and he proves that to me. While driving to the office, he asks, "Do I have to get poked today?" To which I responded, "Nope. Not today, buddy. Today she's just going to look at your tummy, but remember? It doesn't hurt." "Oh yay! No pokes! Ok, mama."

We head into the waiting room, and he plays quietly while I fill out paperwork, with Cash sitting in the stroller next to me. JJ calls his name. He jumps up and says, "Hi!" She tells him how much he's grown since she saw him last, remarking at how 4 months couldn't have already passed, and that he must've grown a foot in that time. He has gotten tall. Outgrown all his old clothes, now in 5T jeans and moved up into the boys XS. How is it possible that my once tiny boy is growing out of toddler sizes?!

We all head back and Jackson follows her into the room, gets up onto the table, lies down, and lifts up his shirt for her to "put the goopy stuff" onto his tummy. He laughs. And proceeds to talk about the fish in the wall mural.

JJ: "Okay, could you turn onto your side, Jackson?"
Jackson: "Sure! Wow, what's that fish? It's kind of scary looking. I like the puffer fish."
JJ: "Now, onto your back..."

He follows her instructions like a pro. I stand there in amazement.
JJ: "All done, Jackson!"
Jackson: "Done? Oh, okay. I'm done, mama."
Me: "Yep, you're done, sunshine."
Jackson: "Can I get a treat now?"
He hasn't eaten in 6 hours. JJ gets him two CARS stickers, a lollipop, and says, "We'll see you next time!"

At the end of the day, while eating his favorite mac n cheese, he says to me, "It was a good day, huh, mama?"

Yeah, buddy, it was a good day.