Little Buddy Update

Just took Little Buddy for his 2 year appointment which included a booster shot and a recommendation for the Hep A shot. It is optional but the pediatrician recommended that we get it. They say that LB is in the 95th percentile for his height and in the 40th percentile for his weight. He is sooooo tall. His hands are huge and he wears a size 9 shoe. The ladies at Stride-Rite almost fainted when they measure him and we told them that he just turned 2 in January. Not sure if all this is from breastfeeding for nearly 2 years or what? He looks like the 3 and some 4-year-olds when we go to the park but he still has stranger anxiety and cannot talk like the 3 and 4-year-olds so I notice some kids and parents looking quizzically. He is doing very well for his age as far as speech, physical development, eating (both what and how he is able to eat by himself). I worry all the time is he up to speed on this and that, you know as any good parent would. Then we go out for play dates with other 2-year-olds and it is very difficult to not compare. Most of them seem so tiny to me and fragile and can hardly move around and climb about on the big playground equipment like he can. Many of them are still wearing little baby type clothes (which LB sadly no longer fits in) and the eating thing is really, really so different. I am surprised how so many little toddlers eat so much nothing all day. Where Little Buddy is already feeding himself hunks of hamburger, meat loaf, and chicken with a fork (he can even dip his hamburger into ketchup by himself). Majority of other kids don't even eat meat. Not that we are big meat eaters BUT he refuses to drink milk and then doesn't like many vegetables, cereals and only eats cheese when he's in the mood so I introduced more meats to him so that he would be getting his iron and proteins, etc. He eats fruit like it's going out of style (3 apples, 2 bananas, and a bowl of grapes every day). Loves sweet potatoes, cucumbers, baby food peas (as long as he eats peas, I could care less what form they are in). Still can't get over how many toddlers live on carbs and dairy and at 2 years old I think it's really time that most kids are at least attempting to try using utensils? Don't know?

Anywho, like I said, Little Buddy is talking quite a bit now. He says: cow, mommy, daddy, ess (yes), no, nap, poo poo, baby, purse, bus, nanna (banana), baba (apple), dodd-oo-ee (cookie?), mamm-uh (grandma), papa (grandpa), dee! (drink), etc, I could go on but you get the idea. Lots of words or really good attempts at words. He can usually tell us in some form when he wants or needs something which is the biggest battle really. Still proud of my Little Buddy, he is talking more and more every day, soon I am going to have to really stop saying all that I say around him (regarding MIL, etc.).

They asked me at his appointment if anyone in the family would be exposed to lead. I then though of my husband shooting on the range at work and how he regularly carries ammunition on his body at work for hours. So, I said yes. Then they asked me if my husband shoots on the range very often or just occasionally to qualify. It's just once in awhile. Then they asked if he comes in and has contact with Little Buddy when he gets off duty. He doesn't, it's usually 11:30-12:00 midnight and he leaves any leaded clothing off and throws it in the washer rather than wearing it again. Still, you really start to think of all this a lot more and hope that it never becomes and issue and that officer hubby always does in fact remember to take off his leaded clothes and wash first before bringing them into the house and or shower too before touching Little Buddy. Then I think, well, if hubby is in contact with lead and then we conceive, what then? Isn't that tainted fertilizer so to speak? Anyway, just curious if any of the LEO wives that read me are careful or have you been questioned by your pediatrician's or have you actually had to have your child lead-tested? They said they did NOT need to test Little Buddy this last time but if the lead contact of officer hubby becomes more than we should. Scary!

*Oh, LB is wearing a men's hat with slight adjustment, he's got a "big melon" too. That's how our pediatrician worded it. No shock, mommy and daddy also have big noggins :)