H1N1ing The Bear Family

After much debate, reading and information gathering I made the decision that the Bear family should get the H1N1 vaccine.

I had to decide how we would go about all 5 of us getting our vaccine. Should I take the 2 youngest by myself during the day and then go back with Papa Bear and Little Bear after school or should I just brave it and load the Magic Pumpkin with all 5 of us and get it done in 1 trip. The thoughts of the long lines and 3 small kids resulted in all 5 of us going together.

The line waiting started out not too bad...and then my kids got ants in their pants... Wee One wanted nothing more than to free himself from Papa Bear's arms and run. Fuzzy felt the need to touch EVERYTHING in the church that held the clinic. Nativity scenes, Christmas trees and a wall of pamphlets. Nothing was off limits to him. It's a good thing we got vaccinated against H1N1 because I'm sure he picked something else up by touching all available germ coated surfaces and then doing what he spends half his day doing - picking his nose. Little Bear was just happy to have an audience and insisted on asking a string of difficult to answer questions at the top of his lungs to see me squirm trying to come up with answers that the room full of people were waiting for.

Thankfully the line moved fairly quickly. The next step was to fill out paperwork for each of us while the kids waited "patiently". After completing the papers we got into another line that also moved pretty well. Little Bear was pretty worried about getting a shot and was beginning to show it. When asked who was going to go first Little Bear was quick to say not him. Fuzzy hopped up on the chair like a champ and announced that he wanted to go first. Poor little booger had no idea what he was first for.

None of my children are really any problem when they get their shots but it still surprised me how well Fuzzy took his. Not a sound or a flinch. Nothing. Fuzzy is my new hero. I HATE needles but I had my brave face on for my boys. No way was I going to get Little Bear in that chair if I didn't pretend it was no big deal. After Fuzzy and I were done Little Bear decided it didn't look so bad and he was ready for his turn. He let out a little scream and a tear came to his eye and then he was fine. I think Wee One was more pissed off with being held still when he wanted to go rather than upset about the shot. Papa Bear looked a little pale and apparently was more worked up about the shot than he was letting on too because the nurse had to tell him to relax or it was going to hurt more.

All in all the 15 minutes they make you wait before leaving after your shot was far worse than the actual vaccine. The kids just wanted to leave or eat the manhandled snacks that were available to everyone and their uncle. 15 minutes has rarely seemed so long. Finally we were released. All in all not too bad.

Other than some pretty freaking noticeable pain in both Papa Bear and my own arm everyone did well and it seems we have escaped any serious reactions. The Bear family has successfully been H1N1ed