Yes we know the muffin man

Chloë's two-year checkup went excellently. We warned her ahead of time there would be shots, but in fact there weren't, just a finger-stick to get checked for lead. She's 75th percentile for height (not quite three feet), 98th for weight (a little over 34 pounds), nearly a twenty-inch head. She was very good, and even talked some despite the doctor being a stranger, and got a sticker for her pains. We asked about her frequent nosebleeds and got some saline gel to try and sooth the irritated patch on her septum that's apparently causing the trouble.

"If it doesn't work, we can try other things, including cauterizing that spot," the pediatrician said, "but we don't want to do that if we don't have to." We agree. And Chloë's quite happy to get "med" for her nose, especially if it will help the nosebleeds.

The guidance for two-year-olds they sent home with us mostly seemed reasonable, but I was slightly annoyed by the nutritional guidance. Most of it I took no exception to--avoid soda and diet foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, eat at the table as a family, encourage water--but there was also, below "Eat whole-grain bread" and "have a protein source with every snack and meal," the line "no more than 1 serving of starch." Seriously? Now we're advocating the Atkins diet for toddlers? Are they not aware that

-carbohydrates are the best source of energy;
-starches (not highly-processed ones, sure) come with other healthful things like vitamins and fiber,
-excess protein can be harmful;
-starches usually are protein sources anyway;
-dude, human civilization was predicated on starches;
-children are meant to gain weight, not lose it;
-seriously, your plan is that every day growing children should have one piece of whole-grain bread and then nothing but vegetables and pure protein? Seriously?

I worry a bit about Chloë's weight--though the pediatrician says she doesn't--but I will put her diet up against anyone's. Also, I will give up hearing Chloë say "Koë make muffin with Mama," when someone beats me to death with a steak.