Resiliency

SMILE amazed me today.  DAD had the daunting task of taking SMILE to get blood tests completed today.  I wanted no part of it. swearing that I would scoop up my child at the first whimper.  DAD and I had planned on not preparing him for the trip in an effort to head off severe tantrums that would have made leaving the house impossible. DAD was just going to take him and spoil his little butt off when it was done in an effort to erase the experience from both their minds.  But, to explain why he needed to get dressed,  DAD told SMILE they were going out "for a surprise."  I grunted at the mistake and decided we needed to be honest so SMILE wouldn't feel betrayed by the well-intentioned fib.   

Mistake.  SMILE's face crumbled as soon as we said he was going to the doctor's. "I don't want a needle!" he whimpered between deep breaths and sobs.  "I'm fine."  Dad and I tried to be soothing without saying that it wouldn't hurt.  We told him it would be quick.  We told him he would get a new book (or ANYTHING else he wanted) when it was over.  Many more minutes of crying passed.  Then...he sighed, stiff sniffling and moaning a bit, and said "I know I have to go...but I'm annoyed about the needle."

After the one more show we promised he could watch, SMILE dutifully allowed DAD to get his shoes on and left without complaint.  A little over an hour later, I got the phone call I had been waiting for.  SMILE did great!  He didn't struggle, he didn't cry.  He even watched the needle go in (TWICE!) SMILE got on the phone and cheered, "Mommy!  I did great job! I was brave."  In fact, DAD told me that he walked through the waiting room when it was over shouting excitedly, "It didn't even hurt."  One of the nurses called to him and gave him a thumbs up.  SMILE smiled and...raised his index finger proudly in response.  Hey! Close enough!