The Doctor Diaries

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Every pregnant woman becomes an expert at this. Those monthly visits to the OB always start with a trip to the bathroom, cup in hand. The guys may not be as skilled, but they know the drill. This skill actually starts at age 4 in our office during the four-year-old check up. Near the end of each check up, I explain to the parent(s) that the nurse is going to test the child's vision, hearing, blood pressure, and urine. Today, something happened that was so beyond funny and completely adorable. Of course, you kind of had to be there, but I will try to paint the picture for you.

I saw a particularly bright and, as it turns out, very self-reliant four year old today. He heard me tell his mom that he would have to pee in a cup. As the mom and I continued talking, we heard a voice from across the room, "Mom, I'm ready to pee now." We both turned to look at him-the mom gasped in horror, and I almost fell out of my chair laughing. There the boy stood, his pants around his ankles, a urine cup sitting on the floor, penis in hand, taking careful and confident aim and ready to let loose.

The mom dove across the room, probably praying silently to whoever would listen to keep that urine inside her boy for just a few seconds longer. I was trying, unsuccessfully, not to laugh too hard. She managed to stop her son. I almost wished she hadn't, because that would have been even funnier.

It turns out that this particular patient of ours is quite experienced at peeing in an empty bottle in the car during long road trips, so of course, when he heard that he was supposed to pee in a cup, it seemed like the logical thing to do right where he was.

Like I said, you kinda had to be there-or, maybe not. Maybe you are chuckling to yourself right now because this story is a familiar one. Anyway, it is one I definitely won't ever forget.

Take home message - Our kids are precious. Their innocence and how they interpret the world around them are some of life's great joys.