One of my favorite things I’ve done to document our children’s childhood was charting their growth. I printed out a growth chart (easily found on the CDC website or with a quick Google search) and used fancy scrapbooking brads to chart their measurements. I now not only have a record of how they grew, but it’s an easy way to reference their approximate size at any given age and to compare their growth and also see where they are going.
(Above: Honeybun and Sugarplum’s Growth up to age 3)
Doodle had his one year well-visit at the doctor last week and all is indeed well. What was no surprise, though, was his growth. My “big guy” that started life at 99% for height and 75% for weight has stayed tall but has slimmed down. While his height has wavered between 65% and 99%, his weight has steadily dropped off. At 12 months he is now 78% for height and 3% for weight. Concerning? Not in the slightest. (It is just as I predicted in the original “My Children are So Dense!”)
Both my girls dropped off the charts (I blame my lean breastmilk) and Sugarplum stayed under 5% on her weight until she was 2 ½. Our doctor has never concerned because all the kids have met their milestones when they should and have always been very healthy, he also always makes a point to note that hubby and I are both tall and thin so that’s probably just how our kids are going to be.
What does still catch me off guard, though, is how big he is compared to the girls. Even at 3% on his weight, he still weighs more than Sugarplum did at 18 months! And if he stays on his current growth track, he will hit 3 feet tall a full year before Sugarplum did (and 6 months before Honeybun). I know I can’t compare apples to oranges (or in this case boy to girls) and I have to constantly remind myself he is going to be bigger overall just because he’s a boy! Only time will tell though, when he will outgrow his sisters both on height and weight!
Fun fact: there is exactly 11 pounds separating each of my children right now (Doodle=18 pounds, Sugarplum=29 pounds, Honeybun=40 pounds!)
