Doctors, BBQ, and Froyo

Over the past year or so we've taken Clara to various doctors and specialists, from nutritionists to gastroenterologists to endocrinologists, as she's had some digestive issues pretty much her whole life. She's also very small for her age, so it's been important to try to make sure that everything was okay. We had her tested for anything that could be even potentially related to her issues, and thankfully nothing major was found. The end result is that she's just a small girl who's a picky eater and who is also lactose intolerant. There were many worse possibilities (multiple sclerosis, gluten allergies, soy allergies, etc.), so we are thankful that none of those are the case. Today was pretty much the last major hurdle, as I took her to the endocrinologist for a checkup. The doctor was satisfied with the progress she's making and said no further appointments are necessary, which is great. While we waited for the doctor to arrive in the exam room, there was a big rainstorm. Clara was fascinated by this, as there was a very large window in the room. She stared out, partially interested, but partially just peacefully enjoying the sights and sounds.  I snapped this picture of her.  I love it because it captures her in thought, but also because I've never seen her look so grown-up.  Instead of looking like a cute tiny toddler, which is how she usually looks, she looks more pretty than cute, and more like a girl than a toddler.

My friend Kevin recently moved back to Wichita.  He still works for my company, so he comes back in town every so often.  He was in town today, so we decided to meet up for lunch.  I went straight there from Children's Mercy, so Clara was still with me.  We went to a new barbecue place, and it was great, especially their signature sandwich, the Boulevard.  We then said good-bye to Kevin.  I had some time before I had to go back to work, so I took Clara to a self-serve frozen yogurt pace for dessert (she had the dairy-free kind, of course).  We then stopped at FedEx Office to pick up some menu placards for Hannah's party, and then went home, and I was able to go in to work for the remainder of the day.  It was originally just going to be me taking Clara to the doctor, but it ended up being an impromptu date day, which was a really nice development in my day.