Growing Up So Fast

Friday Ava turned 4 months old.  It seems impossible that she is already 4 months.  I feel like she was just born yesterday.  My brother hadn't even met her until this weekend.  With her turning 4 months and all the others having their birthdays, well child check-ups were on the agenda at our house.

Here's a little update on how everyone is growing.

John David
The pediatrician doesn't give us percentiles anymore for John David so I turned to the internet and found a growth chart put out by the CDC for boys aged 2 - 20.  Based on my reading of these charts I think these are John David's approximate percentiles.

Weight 47 pounds  ~90th percentile
Height 44 1/4 inches  ~75th percentile
Blood Pressure 103/63
Pulse  93
No shots for John David but he did have a vision and hearing screening which he passed perfectly.  Yeah!  He is still at the top of the charts.  He's been there or off the top of the charts even since he was born.  I was slightly surprised by his weight because although he seems to weigh a ton when I pick him up he is skinny as a rail when he takes his shirt off.  Wish I had his metabolism.

Ella

Weight 35 pounds ~84th percentile
Length  37 3/4 inches  ~66th percentile
Blood Pressure 101/65
Pulse 109

No shots or anything else for her today.  She sure has grown.  This is the same girl that at a year old weighed less than 16 pounds and wasn't on the growth chart at all.  She was in perfect health just tiny.  I was sent home from her one year appointment with instructions to feed her butter on her mashed potatoes, ice cream, and pedia sure to see if I could fatten her up.  Obviously it worked.  She isn't fat but has definitely caught up growth wise.

Harrison

Weight  32 pounds  ~52nd percentile
Length  35 3/4 inches  ~11th percentile

No blood pressure or pulse statistics for him.  He wouldn't sit still enough for the automatic blood pressure machine to register.  No shorts or vision/hearing screenings for Harrison either.  He is due for a check up with his eye doctor soon to check his glasses and his left eye.  His left eye was weaker than his right and as a result was crossing.  They put him in glasses and had us start dilating his right or stronger eye to help correct this when he was 18 months old.  It has worked great and I rarely see any crossing of his left eye anymore.  They don't think he will have to wear glasses forever, although now I don't think he would look like Harrison without them.

Ava

I can't believe she is already having her 4 month check up.  It is crazy how quickly it goes.  I feel like she was just born and wish she could stay a newborn forever.  I love that stage.  Yes, I know that means I wouldn't get a full night's sleep but I just love that sweet, snuggly stage.  It is way too short.  Anyway, here are Ava's stats.

Weight 15 pounds 3 ounces  ~81st percentile
Length  25 inches  ~75th percentile
Head Circumference  16 1/2 centimeters  ~74th percentile

Yep..she's a big girl but John David still takes the prize for being the biggest.  And, as our pediatrician said she is proportionately big.  Her weight and length are growing consistently which is a good thing.  We think she is perfect and absolutely adore the chubby cheeks and thighs.  It is probably the only time in your life where being chubby and having fat rolls is adorable.  They wouldn't look nearly as cute on me.  The poor thing had to get 2 shots and an oral vaccine.  Plus, since we have been traveling and running around all over town for the past couple of days she hasn't gotten her regular naps.  That led to a pretty grumpy baby yesterday afternoon.  Today though she seems back to her happy self.

I'm so blessed and grateful to have four happy, healthy growing children.  What more could a mom ask for?