Ryan's stats and heart

Ryan had his well check-up on the 16th.  He was a crack-up to say the least, grabbing the attention (and adoration) of many in the short span of 30 minutes we were at the doctor's office.  What can I say?  The boy's a charmer.  Always has been.

It was quite the in-depth check-up, including an eye exam and hearing test and NOT including shots, which we were all happy about.  During the eye exam the nurse had me hold one hand over one eye while Ryan identified the various objects on the wall.  It was so cute listening to him say, "That's a boat!," "That's a moon!," and "That's a dar!" (star).  When he wasn't sure of something (like a letter - he doesn't have them all straight just yet), he'd simply say, "I don't know."  Dr. Daley, who was sitting in his office just around the corner from where Ryan stood in the hallway chuckled a few times, which prompted us to do the same.  Cute kid.

Ryan weighs a whopping 28 pounds, which puts him in the 27th percentile for weight, and he measures 3 feet 1 inch, which puts him in the 68th percentile for height.

During his physical, Dr. Daley spent a considerable amount of time listening to Ryan's heart.  I found it a bit strange at first but wasn't really concerned until I noticed him sliding the stethoscope over the same area of his chest a third time.  Turns out he had detected a heart murmur, which Ryan did not have at last year's well check-up.  Dr. Daley reassured me that it probably wasn't serious but definitely felt Ryan should be seen by a cardiologist.  I tried not to worry too much, but let's face it.  Any potential abnormality or problem having to do with your child's heart is naturally going to create some level of concern.  A couple days later I got a call from the cardiologist and we scheduled Ryan's appointment for the 29th, which was last Tuesday.

Here's our boy in the exam room entertaining himself while waiting for Dr. Gratian.  Initially the disposable gown, which the nurse referred to as a "super hero cape" was really cool, but quickly lost its appeal as soon as Ryan noticed the spongy letters puzzle on the floor.

Dr. Gratian listened to Ryan's heart and determined that there were two murmurs but said an EKG and ultrasound were necessary to determine whether or not they were problematic.  Ryan was so good during the tests and didn't complain or put up a fight once.  I was proud of him.  Shortly after we were done, Dr. Gratian came back in reporting that the murmurs were innocent and of no concern.  It was a relief to hear good news.  Hopefully there's never again a need to go see a pediatric cardiologist.  Once is enough for me.  On our way home, while at the grocery store, I let Ryan pick out a donut as his reward for awesome behavior.

He was grateful for the donut, and I was (and am) grateful for a strong and healthy boy (heart and all)!