"Dr. Jack, come back!"

We took the kids in yesterday for their four month and two year well-child visits.

Here are Ada's stats:

• Weight: 13 pounds, 13.5 ounces (53rd percentile)
• Length: 25.75 inches (93rd percentile)
• Head Circumference: 41.5 cm

She got two shots and barely reacted (just a little whimper). The doctor said we can start her on solids in the next month or so if she continues to have trouble taking milk while I'm at work. We'll start with rice cereal and then move on to the orange veggies. She's definitely watching us eat and making chewing movements, but the real test is whether she will swallow the food when it's put in her mouth. Ada was vocalizing a lot with Dr. Jack, and he said that it was a good sign for her language development. In general she is doing very well, is right on track, and there are no major areas of concern for her.

Here are Jude's stats:

• Weight: 33 pounds (93rd percentile)
• Height: 38 inches (99th percentile)

Jude was basically off the chart for height. Dr. Jack said that 38 inches is the 75th percentile for 3-year-olds! Between his size and language, the doctor said he could very easily be mistaken for a 3-year-old. He cautioned about the "Language Trap" with Jude. Since he looks and speaks like an older child, it can be hard to remember that his brain is still a 2-year-old brain and he doesn't have the maturity that his language and size might suggest. So, we need to be careful about letting him do too much negotiating, especially around eating, bedtimes, etc., and also not trust him to understand and follow directions where safety is involved. We've been noticing the increased negotiating and appreciated the guidance to hold the line more often than not.

Developmentally, Jude is doing very well in all areas. He had some great conversations with the doctor about blackberries, backhoes, and screwdrivers. After Jude got his shots, Dr. Jack left the room to get him a little toy as a prize, and Jude called out "Dr. Jack, come back!". I guess the shots didn't bother him too much. Also, the doctor was happy with his weight trajectory (going down a bit in percentiles) and is not currently concerned about Jude becoming overweight. We'll have him weighed again at Ada's 9 month visit just to make sure, but it looks like he's doing fine with that.

All in all, a great visit to the doctor. Both kids are healthy and happy, and weren't too bothered by their shots.