Bad Weigh-In

I've mentioned in the past that my girls are super small. I've gone back and forth over the last five years from panic to confidence. I had decided after Smartie's four-year check that she's just meant to be small, and I wasn't going to worry about it any more. I offer healthy choices and let them eat as much as they want, trusting they'll get what they need.

Well, yesterday she had her five-year check. In the last year, she has gained less than a pound. She grew two inches, though, and now her height-to-weight ratio is so far off the chart her doctor (and I quote) "can say with confidence there are NO children in this country thinner than her. She is the thinnest child in the country!"

She's always been a picky eater, especially with carbs. She won't eat pasta, rice, or potatoes because she doesn't like the texture. (I found out last night this is very common in preemies, something to do with using their mouths before they're fully developed. Why didn't anyone mention that before?)

I don't know if she isn't eating enough or if she has a metabolic disorder that prevents her from absorbing enough. Sweetie has followed the exact same pattern of weight/height at all her checkups, too, but that kid eats like a horse! With both of them being so thin with such different eating habits, that makes me lean toward disorder.

We're supposed to add butter, oil, and/or cheese to everything she eats, give her half-and-half instead of whole milk, and come back for a weigh-in in two months. In the mean time, I'm keeping a food diary so we can have hard data to go over. If she doesn't gain enough, we'll be going to a specialist.