Today Bryan and I took Caleb to the pediatrician for his 12 month check up. We had a great appointment with the doctor and are so pleased with her assessment of Caleb.
Caleb is now 19 lbs 14 ounces (only 2 ounces shy of turning that car seat around!) and he is 31 inches long. Currently, our pediatrician is plotting him on a regular growth chart despite the fact that we all agree he may have been up to 8 weeks premature. Right now he's hanging steady at the 5th percentile for weight (for non-preemie babies!), around 50th percentile for head circumference and 90th percentile for height. The most impressive thing is to look at the graphs showing his progress over the past 6 months; in all cases the growth curve is quite steep!! We are so proud of how much he's grown and how healthy he has been.
As usual, Caleb was a total showoff during the appointment. He smiled constantly at the doctor, chatted non-stop and even demonstrated his new ability to say "ball" (or something that sounds just like it!). The best part was hearing our pediatrician emphasize over and over that his progress over the past 6 months is 'remarkable'. We have noticed big changes in Caleb but it is so reassuring to hear that your physician shares that opinion!
Our pediatrician was impressed with how strong Caleb is, his ability to pull up and crawl and how active he is. At this point our only concern is that he does not try to feed himself or really even put toys in his mouth. We all agreed to continue to expose Caleb to solids, teach him what he's supposed to do to put food in his mouth and most of all - just wait until he's ready. His appetite is great, his willingness to try different foods is good and we know that in time he will develop an interest in feeding himself. Until then we're content to be patient and enjoy all the other great things he is doing!
Reflecting back on the past 6 months has been incredible as we realize how much progress Caleb has made. From the very first moments of his life as a newborn 3.5 lb baby in Kyrgyzstan to his adjustment into a new family, Caleb has shown a resiliency and determination that we are so incredibly impressed with. We see a courage and strength in him that we pray will continue throughout his childhood and into his adult life. While we are clearly biased, we are so very proud of him and blessed to have him as our son.
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