s.t.a.t.s.

the babies will be 9 months old tomorrow. i can't seem to wrap my mind around it. feels like just yesterday they were retesting berkley's bilirubin levels. (she was jaundiced). it was the morning after our first night home...and what a night it was! ryan and i were beyond sleep deprived. the appointment was a disaster to put it lightly. arriving late, we spent 10 minutes trying to remember how to unlock the double stroller. another 5 minutes ticked away as we attempted cramming the car seats into the stroller. unsuccessful, we carried them in by hand. we learned that day that you DO NOT leave your diaper bag at home. thankfully the nurses had a few spare diapers, since both babies were dirty during their weight checks. so there we sat...new parents, full of questions & concerns. and there i wept... pouring my heart out to an unsuspecting nurse, so sure she would give me all the answers i needed to life that day. she didn't. yet somehow she knew it would "get easier". she was right. it has not only gotten easier...it has been the greatest joy, being a mommy to davis & berkley. i still don't have all the answers, but i have them! and there is nothing sweeter.

so here are the stats from today's appointment (9 months)

berkley is 17 pounds 13 oz & 27 inches long (50th percentile)

davis is 15 pounds 11 oz & 26 1/2 inches long (off the chart)

i have been concerned for a long time about davis' growth rate. he is no longer in the 5th percentile but off the chart. he is actually in the 50th percentile for a 5 month old. along with my concern over his weight, i have been concerned about possible low muscle tone & potential delays in development. i have considered an ECI (early childhood intervention) evaluation & have decided to set one up. our pediatrician confirmed that it would be a good step to take at this point. they will evaluate four developmental areas. if nothing else we can track progress & have an ongoing assessment record. as an early childhood educator, i believe strongly in early intervention (whether for physical, social or emotional needs of children). i am thankful for the resources made available to parents & their children. as for the weight, it could be genetic & may not be a cause for concern. the pediatrician has done a work up to check liver function, etc to be sure. davis nurses well & loves to eat solids...so he either has his mommy's metabolism or isn't absorbing fat well.

i'll keep you posted...in the mean time, will you pray that we identify areas of potential delay (if any) & for good health & weight gain?

thanks friends!

our tiny tot