Meet Reid.
He’s my sweet little charmer; a terribly opinionated, feisty toddler who still prefers the company of his thumb over any stuffed animal I present him with. And for those who’ve been following my blogging journey, yesterday was his second birthday. Yes, he is TWO. (Already!)
Now would be an appropriate time to insert a predicted “Where does the time go?” – except for the fact that I know exactly where the time went: two years of feeding, changing, amusing, disciplining, soothing, teaching and caring for a sweet little baby. A baby whom, according to Old Navy’s size guide, is now a toddler.
My toddler Reid, who go-go-goes, pausing only briefly to smell the flowers – or eat a well-seasoned tortilla chip, as demonstrated above. He was a champion breastfeeder, is an authentic foodie (preferring pan-seared scallops over chicken fingers any day) and demands enjoys a cup of warm white milk before bedtime.
And, every single day of his life, he has been below the 5th percentile for weight.
(For the non-parents, that means on average, over 95% of children the same age weigh more than him.)
Not gonna lie, it bothered me at first. Born at a respectable 39 weeks, he was 6 pounds at birth – not entirely puny, but still below the average of 7.5 pounds for term babies. When we took him home from the hospital, we had to work hard to help him regain the further 14 oz he lost.
But Reid took to breastfeeding immediately and quite honestly, even though he stayed a lightweight, our pediatrician showed no concern over his tiny frame at all. He was gaining weight slowing and steadily, meeting his milestones, and was overall a joyful baby.
Today, at 24 months old… Reid is 22 pounds. That’s like, Smurf-skinny.
BUT, he’s got three things going for him:
1) He eats like it’s going out of style. Seriously, he actually picks food off Ryder’s plate – and asks for a snack exactly 15 minutes after a meal is complete. So, Reid definitely has the right appetite, and I make sure to keep him fueled with healthy, hearty foods.
2) That little drug called youth. He’s constantly moving. I honestly don’t think anyone has ever seen him walk – he runs absolutely everywhere. So if there was any concern that Reid is feeling lethargic in any way, just one look would confirm that this little dude has the energy of, well, a two year old.
3) Reid’s got a mama who stashes an arsenal of IronKids Gummies. With a Multi-Vitamin, Vitamin D and Calcium supplement every morning, I feel great knowing that I can now enhance Reid’s diet with a little boost from a great-tasting gummy vitamin. They give me peace of mind that I’m doing my very best for my child – growth charts and percentiles be damned. Because even though I’ve heard it a million times, I’m finally starting realize that moms really do know best, and we have to trust our instincts.
My instincts tell me that IronKids Gummies help to keep my children healthy.
(All IronKids Gummies are made in a nut free facility, and are allergen and gluten free. Plus, there’s no sugar coating, aspartame or artificial colors . . only real ingredients. #winning)
Is your child healthy, happy… and underweight? Do tell!
I am an IronKids Brand Ambassador – with pride. I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this brand.
The opinions on this blog are my own.
I have the same problem with my 22 month old. She just FINALLY broke the 20lb. mark. She is in the 3 percentile for her weight. She was born at 7lbs 9oz but her weight gain has never been anything significant. My friends have 6 month olds that weigh more than she does. I feel like she is the same as your little guy. She eats more than her older sister but just doesn’t seem to be gaining weight. Are the IronKids gummies safe for under 2 year olds? I know the Disney gummies say age 2.
Oh, I do feel your pain Adriana! And yes, Reid is in the 3rd percentile too. Technically, the IronKids gummies should not be given to any child under two because they can present a choking hazard, so I can’t recommend that you give them to your child. That’s my disclaimer. However, I cut them in half for Reid and started giving them to him at 20 months, but that was my decision and I was aware of the risks involved. He’s two now, though, so it’s all good!
And, he LOVES them :)
My 3 girls have always been right at 50% for their weight, but they are DENSE. Seriously, they may weigh the same as their friends but to lift them? They feel twice as heavy. Odd, right?
Beautiful photos Lena and a very Happy birthday to Reid – sending huge hugs from our west!
;)
Thanks so much Tammi! Your girls must have super-dense bones – that comes in handy, hopefully they’ll stay nice and strong!
Yes, that is true! Never thought of it that way – so dense, go!!
lol
Hahaha somehow that doesn’t sound right… :)
My daughter was always so tiny from birth till about one-year. It was a constant battle that I care to think of no longer, trying to convince relatives that even though she was on the low end, she was still gaining weight. Now, my kids enjoy their Iron Kids gummies and it’s reassuring to me to know they’re getting all their vitamins.
Yes! Sometimes so much energy is spent trying to convince well-meaning relatives that he IS healthy! Totally hear you – and happy that the kids love their gummy vitamins!
Both my kids were in low percentiles for weight. At 9 and 10 they’re still pretty small but healthy as horses! We started on the Iron Kids since I saw it in your last post (about breakfast I think?) and the girls love them!
Success! So happy to hear that your girls love the IronKids Gummy Vitamins!
He’s healthy, growing, and is clearly so happy! Happy birthday to your rockin toddler!! All things are good:) PS You know I love me some IronKids Gummy Vitamins!
Hear hear! And yes, love that your kids are IronKids too!
Your cute son looks like he’s so full of mischivieous energy! I’m sure he’s very healthy and happy.
He is! And thank you!
My 4 and a half year old is tiny and petite, she is 30 pounds and like Reid is always on the go! She just grows taller and has only gain 5 pounds since she was one! I give her Flintstone gummies… but would be happy to try IronKids gummies…. because I Listen To Lena!
My 9 month old on the other hand…. she is a whopping 25 pounds! I am suffering from back and shoulder pain from my sweet buddha baby…. I switched her from her infant carrier ages ago…. into that awesome Britax carrier I won on this very blog :D thanks again- I couldn’t handle carrying that thing around anymore!!! (the seat- NOT the baby!)
Whoa – 5 pounds since she was one! I feel so much better now, knowing I’m not alone. And isn’t it crazy how different the two kids can be? 25 pounds is definitely a buddha baby, but I’m sure she’s the cutest and sweetest little thing!
Reid is ADORABLE!!
Aw, thanks Kristina!
My son is not underweight he weighs about 25kgs, tall for his age, he is 4.5yrs old, I give him these vitamins, I feel it is good for kids. Is that ok? He is very active.
Maria, you should talk to your doctor before beginning any vitamin regime. If he recommends a multi, I definitely like IronKids.