Wednesday, June 21, 2006

I Know Why the Teething Baby Screams (or Why My Baby is Channeling the Forces of Evil)

Bit is cutting five teeth.

May I repeat that?

FIVE TEETH. FIVE. All on top. She is attempting to push out the two in the middle, both canines and one bicuspid (she already has her two incisors).

Sigh. My little over-achiever. Of course, the fact that she's making Damien look like the recipient of a "My Child Was An Honor Student" bumper sticker is not lost on anyone right now.

Arabis 04

In other news, she had her 12-month well-baby visit on Monday. The stats are as follows:

Weight: 20 pounds, 12 ounces (45th percentile)
Head Circumference: 46cm (80th percentile)
Height: 31 ½ inches (above the 97th percentile)

We also had a hemoglobin test (the dreaded finger prick) which she passed with flying colors (good iron, excellent blood according to the doctor).

Our doctor is absolutely thrilled with her progress. I was worried that she was too skinny, but was assured that she just looks that way because she is so tall.

"Most babies we see have the exact opposite height and weight of yours and *that* is a problem," she said. "You have one of the healthiest babies I see."

Woo hoo! I'm doing something right! I know that sounds silly, but I worry about these things, you know.

We were given the okay to make the switch to whole milk and have had great success. Bit had a taste of pasta for the first time and had quite a bit of fun with it (I think some actually got in her mouth, too). I also gave her some spinach off my plate last night which she seemed to enjoy. That pleased me as I adore spinach and she had turned her nose up at "baby food" spinach in the past.

She has also taken up to five unassisted steps at once, before either falling back on her bottom or grabbing hold of something for support. Her steps are strong, her legs straight and true. There is none of the bow-legged gunslinger stance of your average toddler.

I'm afraid this kid is going to be taller than I am by the time she's seven.

Arabis 05

5 comments:

Jill said...

I laughed out loud at the hair. Did Bit get caught in a windstorm, or is she going for the Flock of Seagulls look?

Absolutely gorgeous, even with the crazy hair!

Artemis Rich said...

Yeah, we laughed at the hair, too. Hence the plethora of photos from which to choose.

The Bitty had just woken from a nap, and like her mama, she wakes up *very* slowly. She is a sweaty little sleeper and tosses and turns. Hence the New Wave 80s hair.

And thank you. We think she's quite stunning too! *grin*

Sandi said...

She kinda looks like the Grandfather when she wakes up! I bet he'll be pleased to know that!

Artemis Rich said...

Oh, god, yes...yes, she does look like him, doesn't she?

He *adores* her like you wouldn't believe! The man laughed aloud myriad times a day when we visited. In FEBRUARY, no less.

And she is totally and absolutely smitten with him. I'll post some pictures in the next day or two for you.

Jody said...

OMGosh! Look at that gorgeous child!!

Can I gobble her up?