Our chubby little bug
Then a strange thing happened. Her newborn weight melted away, and we started to have concerned ‘weight checks’ at the pediatrician’s office–just like with her older sister. Except, unlike her sister, Jilly nursed like a champ, albeit, a champ who could complete a feeding in under five minutes and be perfectly happy.
I remember being told that she was ‘barely’ on the weight charts. Her older sister, who had weighed less at birth, was always in the 75th percentile; my second child was barely in the 6th.
I convinced myself that nursing wasn’t ‘working’ anymore, what with me pumping four times a day so she’d ‘get enough’; her fighting the breast and me fighting the tears. However, formula did nothing to boost her weight either.
Who you calling skinny?
Her annual weight checks always surprised me. At one year, she was 17 1/2 pounds (her sister had been 20); at two years, she was 22 pounds (her sister was 28 pounds); at three, 26 pounds (sister = 34 1/2); and at her fourth birthday, she weighed in at a whopping 29 1/2 pounds (sister = (gulp) 40 pounds!). (One thing to note: her sister also had four inches in height over Jilly by the age of four, so big sis is by no means “BIG” sis!).
A tall drink of water next to a half-pint
I received some pretty interesting advice over the years from those who thought we must be doing something wrong to this peanut of ours. Advice ranged from, “give her formula with rice cereal mixed into it” to “cook everything in oil and butter”, to “more cookies!”.
Yes! More cookies, pweez!
Count calories? Why darling, I’m too busy dodging paparazzi.
So, now Jilly is all of 4 1/2. The story is long from complete, but there is one promising spin to it all. Unlike some of her peers (and her brother), who exist on nothing but pasta, bread, Cheerios and an occassional yogurt drink, Jilly’s diet has become a bit more sophisticated.
To prove my point, in the past few months, she has eaten the following:
Sushi (vegetable and cooked shrimp), dipped in soy sauce, hold the wasabi
Pesto, both the basil kind and one made with arugula
Greek salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, Feta cheese and Kalamata olives
Spinach Pie
Whopper Jr with Cheese
Half of the largest hot dog you have ever seen
Heaps and heaps of steamed mussels
Tacos piled with salsa, sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes
Green salad with pine nuts and goat cheese
Let’s just say that if I’m eating it, she wants it.
So, eat on, my little girl! Thank your good genes and speedy metabolism.
Now, maybe we can work on your table manners.
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Here’s to kids with sophisticated palates! It’s funny – they’re all just SO themselves, aren’t they?
Hmm. Some of the things she eats I don’t even like 🙂
What a gorgeous baby photo though!
Ha. Einey (who at 5.5 weighs in at 37 pounds – a peanut) founds the joy of steamed mussels this week. Add that to her LOVE of shrimp and she is not going to be a cheap date when she is older!
My baby was a puny, puny little thing, too – she’s currently fought her weigh up the growth charts to the third percentile. It’s hard, isn’t it? I worry all the time – but your little one looks like she’s THRIVING!
I hate those friggin’ growth charts. Rather than recognize that a kid may have a certain body shape, these charts try to fit them all into a scale of what is “normal.” Need I remind you of what my legs looked like growing up? (Thin sticks with huge, knobby knees.) And how often adults asked if I was anorexic? (And how I wouldn’t wear shorts for over a year because it.) Jill’s hilarious and perfect. And she’s still light enough to toss in the air.
Thalia was also 22 lbs at her 2 year check. Oh, and 4 ounces. Can’t forget those four ounces since it’s like half her weight.
Thanks for this – glad to know she’s not withering away.
Why are we STILL perpetuating the myth that chubby children are healthy children??? It drives me nuts. My sister’s children are very slender, one of mine is, and we’ve both heard all kinds of things over the years. Thankfully, we’ve both been smart enough to ignore much of what we heard.
Your daughter is beautiful, and she will bless those skinny genes when she is 40!!
Growth charts just start and then reinforce the whole competimommy mentality. Drives me insane.
What a cutie/healthy bug!
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
I know exactly what you are saying since the same thing went on with Paige… she’s 5 now and 37 lbs (on a good day). Shoot! at 18 mths she was 17 lbs – add to that, she’s super tall!
But she’s healthy and that is just the way she was created to be.
Her baby sister is my short and squre child (like her mama) 🙂
Ahhh yes, my two are like that… and so far they follow each other on the weight at each appt they are pretty much the same. One thing, my 3 yr old is just about the same height as my 4 year old… so the 3 year old is much skinnier, and you know, rarely gets sick, and eats more than her older sister. So be it.
I wish I had that fast metabolism. Alas, she takes after her maternal grandpa… the string bean!