But I Wanted to Pee in a Cup!

This week Pierce went for his four year old checkup.  After last year (when he refused to say one word to the doctor or cooperate in any way) I decided to do some preparation.  I sat down and talked to him about what would happen during his exam.  I told him the doctor would look at his eyes and ears, poke his belly, listen to his heart, and have him pee in a cup.  Granted, I omitted the whole vaccine part, but I talked about everything else in depth.  I figured I would spring the whole shot thing on him once we got settled in at the doctor's office.

Unfortunately, Pierce had preschool prior to his appointment, and where they made pumpkin shaped cookies frosted with piles of orange sugary icing.  It went straight to Pierce's head, and by the time we got to the appointment he was wired.  I had the twins too, and they were in the middle of what should've been nap time, so it was a little interesting.  Against the 'no food or drink' rules, I doled out animal crackers to the twins on the sly.  It beat the alternative (dual screaming without end).

Pierce got his vision and hearing checked, weight (he's a skinny guy at just barely 30 pounds, fully clothed), height, and blood pressure.  He rolled around on the table and ran around the room, burning off frosting while I tried to answer the pediatrician's questions.  Finally, the doctor left to send in the nurse with the shots, and I broke the news to Pierce that he'd be getting 3 shots (plus the flu mist in his nose).  To his credit, although he complained and was nervous, he handled himself well.  So we wrapped things up and Pierce went to get his four stickers, when suddenly he wailed "BUT I WANTED TO PEE IN A CUP!"  It turns out that based on new recommendations, they are now only running urinalyses every other year in kids.  Having had my share of peeing in cups during pregnancy (or at least trying to pee in cups - more often missing the mark the further along I was) I can't really say I agree with Pierce's sentiments.  I was subjected to three 24 hour urine collections while pregnant and preeclamptic, I'd be happy if I never brought another pee collection device home again.  But lucky us.  The pedi and the nurse took pity on Pierce's complaints.  They want their little patients happy after all.  So they sent Pierce home with a urine specimin cup.  Which all of his stuffed animals have now peed in.  Wonder how long I have to hang on to a urine specimin cup in my living room before it can suddenly 'go missing' without notice?