Kids are the best. If I'm going to leave my own two children in order to go to work, I don't want to do anything else but take care of yours. Children are innocent, honest (brutally, sometimes!) and so incredibly beautiful in their curiosity about the world and zest for life. And let's be honest, there's nothing scarier than being a parent, with your heart and soul living outside your body in another tiny human. To meet the needs of children and their parents is a privilege and honor that gets me out of bed every morning.
I've been in private practice since 2015 and have loved every minute of it. Watching brand new parents with a newborn become seasoned veterans with multiple children is incredibly rewarding. I love being part of the family dynamic, partnering with parents to keep their children healthy. In every interaction I think, "What would I do if this were my child?" or "What would I need to hear if I were worried about this same concern?" This is how I approach my time with patients and their parents, because I know from experience that nothing is more important to a parent than the health and safety of their child. Whether vaccines, tests, antibiotics or other interventions, I always tell parents, "I would never tell you to do something for your child that I have not or would not do for my own." I have been awarded the "Mom Approved Pediatrician" title by DFW Child every year since 2018, and I believe my commitment to this approach is why. I live by the Golden Rule as best I can.
Having started my practice in Little Elm and then Prosper, I am beyond excited to be opening in Celina! This is truly a homecoming for me, as Celina is where I spent my childhood years. My grandfather built the first brick house in Celina in 1947 and lived there with my grandmother for the rest of their lives. I spent many childhood nights at their house while my mother, a single mom at the time, worked double nursing shifts on L&D in McKinney just to make ends meet. I would walk to school in the morning and walk right back to their house for warm cookies when school dismissed in the afternoon. My family still owns that house, and incredibly, it is only a 3-minute bicycle ride from my Cook Children's Celina office! It's a full-circle moment for me, and I know my grandparents are beaming with Bobcat pride to have their granddaughter back in town!
In my time outside the office I just try to keep up with my husband, daughter and son. They are busy bees with all the activities you can imagine in elementary and middle school! I was a ballet and jazz dancer in my former life, and I love music and theater, so you will find me out on the dance floor at every wedding and going to as many performing arts events as I can. I'm always ready to sing or dance with my patients, too, and I've found that singing to my toddler patients during their physical exam is one of the best ways to ease their anxiety. As for vacations, I love to travel and take family trips to the lake, the mountains, the beach or wherever else we can manage. I really want to visit Redwood National Park (never been there!), and I'm hoping to do some international traveling in the next few years when our kids are a bit older and can actually appreciate it!
