Skinny Carson

At Carson's 18 month check-up he was in the 5th percentile for weight. We couldn't get his pants to stay up. Watching him take a bath was almost painful, he was so skinny.With intense efforts on our side to lace all of his food with butter and force in as many calories as we could, he made it to 15th percentile by his two-year check-up (insert sigh of relief). He even had a handful of pants that we could keep on his little bottom! Last weekend Carson got mega stomach flu. It lasted five days, and in those five days all of our effort were undone. His pants are once again falling down, and bathtime has turned into a game of rib-counting. Back to adding butter to everything!

I don't mean to sound cold about the stomach flu thing. It was really heart-breaking. Shelby and I spent last weekend away while Grandma took care of the kids. That means she dealt with the first two days (and probably the worst two days) of Carson's flu. I felt guilty that she had to handle all the bodily fluids, but also glad she was the one who had him. Nobody loves a sick baby as much as a mom and dad, but a grandma is a close second. Once Monday rolled around and I was in charge of the poop and vomit I felt even more guilty. You forget how all consuming of a job taking care of a sick kid is. Carson was such a trooper. He hardly complained, even when he would throw up.

Rachel and Lilly love their grandma. She was the only topic of conversation around our house before she came, and the only topic of conversation around our house for a couple of days after she left. I got after Lilly for something and she broke down in tears. Between sobs she cried "Grandma, Grandma...I want grandma!"

I asked the girls what we should name the new baby. Lilly suggested Helly. Rachel changed Helly slightly and came up with Holly. I told them I liked the name Amelia, and neither of them were impressed. Lilly tried to make me feel better with "it's OK mom, you can name the baby whatever you want because it is in your tummy!" And she is right!

Nonna took Rachel on a date and bought her a killer outfit. It was a cute summer dress with a white sweater and gold shoes. Complete with a necklace to accessorize. This was one of the times Rachel is perfectly happy to be a girl. She insisted on wearing the outfit to the park yesterday, even though it is not at all park friendly. Once she was all decked out, she said to me "Mom, I just love being fancy!" One other Rachel note. After the park Rachel ran ahead of me to the car. When I got there she was sitting Indian-style on the hood of the car in meditation pose, with her hands out and fingers pinched together. I laughed right out loud. She tells me she learned how to meditate on The Lion King. I get that.