Check Ups for the Girls

Sprinkler Fun

Having a shoe fest with a box of cute hand-me-downs from our friend, Heather Nielsen

We were a little over a month late, but on July 31st, Brooke had her three year old check-up.  Apparently, our doctor is a busy man and calling a couple of weeks ahead isn't enough!  Here are her three year stats:

• Weight 38.2 pounds: 94%

• Height 38.58 inches: 79%

• BMI 18.0: 94%

One pound for each inch she is tall.  I don't think that's the way it's supposed to be.  She is solid! But she's always on the go, so she's a muscular little tank.  She is starting to wear clothes more often, but she still enjoys just being in her diaper.  Occasionally, she acts like she's interested in potty training, but it doesn't last long.  She's pooped in the potty a few times and seems so happy about it, but doesn't seem to think it should be an everyday occurrence.  She likes to play outside and she wanders over to the neighbors' to get treats whenever she feels like it, which keeps us on our toes.  She likes to get Starbursts from Marilyn Sharp, and Tootsie Pops from the Browns.  We have to keep an eye on her!  She has started to get comfortable in a swimming pool with a life jacket or a floatie, and just yesterday jumped off the diving board at the Sykes' house.  She says some funny stuff and just keeps us laughing all the time.  When we tell her it's a "church day" she gets so excited!  She loves going to Nursery at church and always entertains Jeane Robinson, who is the music leader.  Brooke likes to lead the songs, except for when I am subbing, then she won't cooperate.  What a stinker!  She's still our best vegetable eater and especially likes carrots, but she loves the sweets as well.  Like all our kids, she likes chicken nuggets and meatloaf, so at least she gets some protein, along with the veggies and carbs.  She is sneaky at night and often sneaks out of her bed and upstairs to visit with Mormor.  Sometimes we'll be almost asleep and then Mom will let us know Brooke is still upstairs, or we will hear Brooke upstairs and realize she has escaped from her bed!  Once or twice a week, she ends up in our bed in the middle of the night.  Not sure why that happens, but we're too tired to put her back in her bed, so we just let her stay... until she sprawls out too much and takes up too much room.  Then she gets carried back to bed!  She is fun and funny!  We love our Brookie Lou.  What a personality!

I learned with Brooke that we needed to schedule doctor appointments way in advance, so I was able to get Maddie's check-up right on her 18 month birthday.  Here are her stats as of August 10th:

• Weight 22.8 pounds: 28%

• Height 31.3 inches: 40%

• Head circumference: 18.3 inches: 50%

Where did this skinny little girl with the average sized head come from?  She looks like she belongs, but her stats are quite different from the other kids at that age!

Her first ice-cream cone

She loves to wear shoes and boots.  Doesn't matter whose they are!

Maddie thinks she's one of the big kids.  She amazes me with the things she can do.  She can climb up the slide on our playground and slide back down by herself.  She is learning to climb up the ladder on the playground as well, so she tries to do little tricks on the ladder.  She plays on the playground at the school like she belongs there.  She likes to get on the trampoline and the teeter totter with the kids, and can ride the wiggle car and steer it.  She enjoys swimming, and also just jumped off the diving board at the Sykes' house yesterday! I caught her so she didn't go under, but I can't believe she even wanted to get up on the board!  Brave little daredevil!  She's starting to mimic people more often and will do little actions for songs and try to sing a bit.  Her vocabulary is increasing.  Some of her words include: cup (which could mean cup or just that she needs a drink), doggy (any kind of animal is a doggy), ball, bed, book, bread, cheese, and go.  She can say everyone's name in the family except for Soren.  She calls him "Guys".  Maddie and Brooke love to dance when they hear music, and they have a good time together (most of the time) when the boys are at school.  Maddie is a good little napper.  She's pretty consistent, anyway.  She was doing really well at going to bed, too, but now she likes to go to bed when we put all the other kids to bed, so she jabbers with them quite a bit since they are all in the same room, but then they all eventually crash.  Usually Gabe first, then Maddie, and then Brooke and Soren.  Maddie likes to fall asleep clutching her sippy cup, and sometimes a book or a stuffed animal as well.  Tonight it was a plush football.  Sean thought that was the greatest!  She's one of us!