Shameless Commerce

It is finally done. Our iPhone app has made it to the store. And three people have already purchased it! So check it out, tell your friends, and leave glowing reviews.

Coming soon...Growing. (Or "growth charts" or "sprout" or "growth."  Which do you like best? Our first choice, iGrow, has been taken, as has Growth Chart. Ideas very welcome.)

sorry to those getting this double on your reader. i had a technical glitch.

Test Moms

Sorry to all you who already heard this through an email...you gave me such great ideas that I thought I'd expand it to my bloggin' friends.

Now that I have passed the boards (yeah!!!) and can feel a bit more secure about my job, I have been thinking about ways to improve our practice. The other day I was tossing a few ideas around and trying to think about things from a mom perspective. Suddenly I realized that I have a whole gaggle of moms (and a few interested dads) whose brains I could pick. Lucky me! So, here are a few of the questions that I have been thinking about lately. Feel free to answer honestly. Leave a comment, or cut and paste the whole thing and email me your answers at alissa.packer@gmail.com. I would love to get as much input as possible so even if you don't know me, but somehow stumbled on this blog, feel free to give me your ideas. Thanks!

1. What do you like, or dislike, about your pediatrician?

2. What do you love or hate about your doctor's office? We are going to remodel our office in a few months, so this one is really important. Some ideas...

• carpet vs laminate flooring
• bright colors vs neutral
• themed exam rooms
• separate waiting rooms vs a front desk that flows nicely (I'm not sure we can have both of these given our current layout)

How much does the look and feel of your doctors office affect which pediatrician you choose? Any suggestions are very welcome!

3. Would it matter to you if you saw the same MA (medical assistant) each time? Would you even notice?

4. Would you be annoyed (even slightly) if you received pre-recorded calls from your pediatricians office reminding you to schedule appointments for things such as

• well-child checks
• flu shots
• asthma check-ups (if your child had asthma)
• ADHD med checks (if your child had ADHD)

Would these calls make you more likely to make an appointment?

5. If your child has to be admitted to the hospital (heaven forbid), would it matter to you if you saw your own pediatrician or a staff doctor?

6. How do you feel about suckers and stickers at the end of the visit?

I welcome any other tidbits, tips or suggestions with open arms.

Oh-bana

Yesterday I saw a 6 year old girl who had a cold. I asked her how she was feeling. She replied by telling me,"I got all ready for school today, but then I couldn't go because we had to watch a show about the Presidents. All my friends stayed home, too." I asked her what she thought about our new president. "He is Oh-bana. He has two girls." I pressed a bit more to see if she understood any of the historic significance. Nope. Just Oh-bana, the new President. It was heartening to see this young girl more interested in his young children than the color of his skin. Made my day.

Thanks.

For Grandma Lota

A while back you asked how Ella liked rice cereal, and don't think I responded. Luckily for you I have first-child syndrome, so I documented her introduction to the world of real food. The rice cereal was okay, but what she really liked...her hands.

Warning to those who are not Grandma Lota: this is a little long and a little boring.

Onsie

There seems to be a certain brand of onsie that fits Ella better than most, and I'm wondering if it is universal or if that brand happens to work with her body. So to satisfy my curiosity, I'm putting up a poll. Just jump out of of your reader and rock my vote.



**I took down the poll, but Carters blew the other onsies out of the water. You would think the rest of the manufacturers would catch on.

Nativity

I know the season has almost passed, but this picture was so sweet I couldn't help myself. We spent Christmas Eve with our cousins Adam and Julie and their children. We had a wonderful evening; it made Christmas Eve feel like Christmas Eve. Ella was the perfect baby Jesus. Bridget was both an angel and Mary (notice the star headband).Will was a shepherd and Joseph. We even had carolers. Thanks Johnstons! We love you!

Meeting the Fam

Greg and Lauren were in town this weekend for a wedding, so we had a quick rendezvous at Cafe Rio. Kate, Ethan and Ella got to meet each other for the first time. Hopefully this is the first of many cousin play-dates.