6 months ago today, little (really little) Grace came screaming into our world. For her half-birthday she got some formula cake baked into the shape of a bottle. OK, it was really just a bottle of formula but she seemed happy enough with it.
She also got to spend the day with dear old dad watching her choice of football games (she picked the Raiders game), taking a walk, then a nap, talking politics in pterodactyl-speech (she is for BaRAAAAAAAACK and she is pro-change on the diaper platform).
Diaper Changes
Speaking of diapers, they are a great vehicle to illustrate how much has changed and how much she is that same 2 lb 15 ouncer. On one hand, she still makes the sound that we call “the poop noise” – like an asthmatic pterodactyl – that announces the arrival of a diaper load with uncanny accuracy. On the other hand, the diapers are waaaay bigger. The picture below shows exactly how far we have come in terms of diapers. On the left is one of her first diapers, on the right is the size (3) that she wears today.
Further Developments
Tomorrow we visit the pediatrician and we get to hear all the new professional doctor words that mean “perfect”. At least that is what we expect to hear. By our estimates she may be over 17 lbs, which would make her the same weight as 75% of little girls that were supposed to be born 6 months ago. That extra calorie formula is really something. Of course, weight is just one factor.
Because she was a preemie, we have a nurse that stops in to check on Grace’s development and lets us know how things look. She was naturally (and understandably) impressed with our little girl but she also pointed out a few things that are a little, shall we say, “out of phase”. Her motor skills come out the youngest as she moves around like a 4 month old. Her fine motor skills are a little older which might mean she could play the piano like a 5 month old (if we gave her one). Finally her size (as I mentioned above) puts her on par with a bonafide 6 month old. Ultimately, all these things will synchronize but for now her muscles have to figure out how to deal with the body mass that is about two months “older”. We get to check in on this further with the doctor to see if there is anything we could be doing to help her along beyond the extended “tummy time” that the nurse recommended.
All-in all we have nothing but good news in the Topliff house. 6 months in and we could not love her one little bit more.
Happy 6th Monthiversary, Grace.
