My 12 month Progress Report

This is Pranav again!
I wanted to tell you all about my latest report card from the 12 month check up with the child health nurse so I asked mom to take a break. So there we were, all three of us in the nurse's office and the first question that comes up is about how much milk I am drinking. The nurse seemed to think I currently drink too much milk and I ought to cut it down because it could mean that I could become iron-deficient if I had too much milk and too little food. Now, these nurses, I really don't get them. The same people who insisted not so long ago that I drink milk and only milk now want something entirely different! I am glad mum decided to use her ears like a wind-pipe and let the advice out through her other ear. Anyway, even if she did reduce my milk it's not like I was going to start eating a lot more food. I do love my bottles.


As this subject died down, there was talk about the need to brush my teeth every night before bed. I tried to tell her that I do that every morning with mum's and dad's brushes after they are done with them but she seemed to think I needed to have a small brush of my own. I was hoping she will ask mum to use that yummy toothpaste whose tube I love to chew on, but no; apparently, I am too young and might swallow the paste. Surely, soemthing so yummy is for eating? Turns out no toothpaste for me until I turn three!

I think she was pretty impressed that I have been walking since I was 10 and a half months old. I know mum is very proud about it. Teh nurse was glad to know that I eat a lot of vegies and fruits and rice and pasta and meat. She also said I should eat some cheese and yoghurt everyday which I already do and love them too. Inspite of all this good beahviour mum found something to complain about: why do I absolutely refuse to eat sometimes? Hey, didn't I tell you why? It's because when I am teething, I don't like anything in my mouth, especially things that are hot and too chunky. Yes, thank you nurse. Now you know, mum. And beware, it will happen again from time to time as I teeth and when it happens you are supposed to just let me go like the nurse asked you to and not pester me to 'eat just a little bit', 'another little bit' and 'just a bit more'. And please don't use your ears like a wind-pipe with this advice.

Then came the embarrassing part: dad started stripping me off until I was only in my singlet and nappy! I mean, hello? Are we even allowed to do this outside of the house? Apparently, we babies are allowed. What's with these double standards? So, anyway, they laid me on my back against a scale and measured how tall I am and then measured how big my head is. Then the nappy came off too and this when I wanted to annoy them all by weeing on the scales for making me so uncomfortable but I had just done so in the nappy a while ago and it wouldn't come again! With the weighing done too I could get back into my clothes and shoes but I started protesting. You can't just dress and undress me as and when you like! Scream! Wriggle! Scream! But it was time go and I had to give in. Dad asked to wave bye to the nurse and I twirled both my hands and waved bye to her. And she said, "Good boy! He is a clever boy!" And when mum told Anna this when she dropped me off at the childcare later, guess what Anna said? "Oh, but we already knew that!" See, I told you I am too clever for my own good!