Family eye exam day.

SS was indeed a bear this morning, but P and I effectively tag teamed her and were ready for school with plenty of time to spare. The eye exams were scheduled before we decided to go to Disney, but SS was in a really good mood. Dr. B really likes SS, says our daughter has such an easy disposition, and likes the fact that SS can communicate better than children her age. Say what? About the easy disposition, try waking up our beast before she is ready, because you will have to run for your life.  We will have to take Dr. B's word that SS's eye exams are are breeze because our daughter apparently is able to communicate well.

All of our prescriptions changed one fourth, kind of funny to us. P and I opted not to get new glasses and Dr. B agreed that it was not a significant enough change to warrant new glasses.

But SS is definitely getting new glasses since her weak eye vision is so poor. We want to provide her every available help to improve her vision. Again, Dr. B agreed that it was important for SS to get even that tiny increase in prescription. 

Much to SS's disappointment she had to again have her eyes dilated. She cried when the drops were applied, but not as bad as last year. Plus she had both P and I for comfort, and an incredible cheering performance by Dr. B. Since we knew she would be unable to work on homework for two hours post dilation, we had SS get as much homework out of the way. Looking at this picture now it looks a bit cruel to make her do homework at the doctor's office.

At least SS did not have to wear the ugly shades provided after dilation, she had her cool prescription sunglasses to protect her eyes. DOG was there to comfort our sullen girl, but man was she cranky for those two hours. Maybe learning that we have to patch her right eye again is partly responsible for SS's foul mood. We understand that even with cool eye patches, at age nine it is an inconvenience to have your eye patched for an hour, five days a week, for three months. And Dr. B said it may be necessary for a year.A year?! Now that kicked P and I in the gut. Whatever it takes to make sure the kid is healthy.

Tonight we had our last cuddles and good night kisses with our eight year old daughter. Tomorrow we wake up as parents of a nine year old child. We have no idea why but this birthday is hitting us hard. Children grow, it's a fact of life, and we are proud of the amazing little girl we were entrusted to raise.  Maybe this birthday stings because we know this is it for us, and it sucks to face that reality. I regretted raising JJ as an only child, but another child was not feasible when he was growing up.  Since I was raised by Mami and Papi, and because of the age difference, I was not close to my older brothers. In a lot of ways I was raised as an only child and do not see it as a negative. P never planned on raising an only child, but he is equally adamant about only having as many children as he can provide for financially and emotionally. Rational thinking can be a bummer sometimes, like now. Just have to suck it up, face reality and move on.