Tina loves animals. She's quite clear about it. This little bunny was not allowed to leave Tina's lap without her screeching for it to return. Fortunately, this bunny is very special as he enjoys attention from people and was grateful for the opportunity to fall asleep on Tina's lap. She's in heaven as she watches him snuggle into her jacket while she ever-so-gently strokes his fluffy angora fur.
Tina and Ava both have also found new joy out of visiting the doctor as Dr. Maria has added a pot-bellied pig to the menagerie in her waiting room. Besides the pig, a chihuahua dog, a snake, guinea pig and fish populate the waiting room. My girls play with the animals more than they do the train table and toys. This week we visited the doctor and "Basil" the pig was running around the waiting room, not confined to his pen just now. Smiles spread across two little faces and 2 sets of feet go running down the hall toward the little pink snout and a new word, "pig," is exclaimed in stereo.
This is why I love this pediatrician - I'm not sure how I got to be so lucky to find her. Not only does she love animals and give kids an opportunity to forget their fears/hurts by touching and playing with them, but she also has twin children (B/G, now much older), gives out her home and cell phone numbers as well as excellent behavior advice. I'm usually discussing the later with her after we rule out any physical reason for powerful temper tantrums. The biting and low-frustration level and intense tantrums of Tina has us trying soy formula instead of milk (only thing we could point to was a grumbly tummy).
