A Healthy Marriage
We took Bean to the pediatrician for this two-year-old check up a couple weeks ago and they confirmed what we had already suspected.
He’s a pipsqueak.
Bean’s in the 5th percentile for weight. Meaning that 95% of two-year-olds are bigger than him. Dude’s tiny. Our doctor wasn’t too concerned. She said that he was healthy looking, had some pudge on his thighs, and an animal cracker belly gut. If he looked malnourished or sickly, she would be more concerned. But she did say that if he dropped below the 5th percentile at his three-year-old appointment, she’d start doing body/mass index reports on him, just to make sure he was getting all the nutrients he needed.
Chris and I were both at the doctor’s appointment and we both heard the doctor say the same words. But what I heard the doctor say was, “Fatten that that kid up,” and what Chris heard the doctor say was, “He’s small, but awesome.” As a result of hearing things differently than each other, Chris and I are approaching this situation from different angles.
I dug through my box of parenting books that I never, ever use and pulled out a copy of “Super Baby Foods.” Then I studied up on making sure that if your child doesn’t eat a lot, that what he is eating is as healthy as it can be. I made a recipe list and then a grocery list. Then I headed out to Whole Foods to pump Bean up. In actuality, Bean eats really healthy. He loves fruit and I can usually convince him to finish most of his veggies. But he really needs some protein. He doesn’t eat a lot of meat and he isn’t a big fan of bean, so I decided it was time to start purposefully hiding some protein in foods he already liked.
When I got home from the store, I felt so good. I was ready to upgrade Bean’s diet so that he was getting all the nutrients and vitamins and protein his little body needs. I was so excited.
Then Chris came home.
Turns out, he had been thinking about Bean’s weight, too. And, turns out, he stopped by the grocery store on his way home to pump Bean up, too.
With sugar. And crap. And fat. And all those things that rot out your teeth and make your mother cry.
“What is all this?!?!” I asked.
“This is what is going to fatten Bean up.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re interested in the situation and want to help Bean out, but I don’t think cookies are what the doctor was suggesting,” I said cautiously.
“I know it can’t just be cookies,” said Chris. And then he plopped these on the kitchen counter. “So I got this, too.”
“Chris,” I said slowly. “We need to make sure Bean’s eating healthy, filling meals and that we’re not just stuffing him with empty calories.”
“These aren’t empty calories,” he argued, holding up the cookies. “They have COCOA in them. That’s totally natural. It’s from, like, a tree.”
“You know that’s not what we need to feed him, Chris,” I said, getting frustrated.
“Look, you do it your way and I’ll do it mine.”
“That’s not how we operate and you know it. We decide together. And so together we will feed him whole wheat flour, flax seeds, and all that other healthy stuff I bought.”
“You can feed him all that stuff that you want at meal times,” he said. “But I get to do dessert.”
Mark my words. This is how my once petite, 5th percentile little boy became an obese 500 pound man.
(Dear Future Bean: Be sure you print this one out for your nutritionist and therapist so they know it was your father’s fault and not mine. Love you, Fathead.)
44 Comments
Amy
Ahh this is a tricky one! It’s the same way in our house. I try to encourage healthy eating and my husband gives Elijah a cookie before he’s had breakfast. Drives me bonkers!!
Meghan
Emmett’s always been on the small side (he turned 5 in April and has YET to pass 40 lbs), but we don’t worry about him because 1. He looks healthy–not sickly (except I hate that I can see his ribs when his shirt is off); 2. He eats very healthy; and 3. The kid doesn’t sit still, so I can only imagine the 1000’s of calories that he burns in a day. I mean, flailing your arms and legs as you wildly dance around the room OVER AND OVER is a major workout. Good luck trying to get Bean to put on a few pounds……Emmett eats 3 full meals and several snacks a day and he still stays super skinny! But being skinny is FAR better than being obese, and it’s the highest indicator of living a long life (according to granddaddy the pediatrician). It’s much better for them to be at the bottom of the chart than at the top!
Nate's Mom @ Nate is Great
Nate’s in the 25th percentile for weight but he keeps growing like a weed. The shorts that are the right length have a waist that’s too big. His shorts (2T) fell off of him on Father’s Day. At the store. For some reason, his torso has taken off and he no longer fits his 2T footie pajamas from shoulder to crotch – but there’s lots of room in the legs. These growth spurts – no rhyme or reason.
For texture reasons, Nate won’t eat vegetables. He will, however, eat fruit. The only protein he’ll eat are cheeses (grilled cheese, a slice of cheese, and fresh mozzarella – but it MUST be fresh – no string cheese here!), peanut butter, and what we call Chinese chicken. Sesame chicken, mild General Tso’s chicken, or the frozen Tyson’s Bourbon chicken, which tastes like sesame chicken without the sesame seeds. So we never made the leap from full fat to low fat dairy after he turned 2. He’ll also drink Keefer – it’s a yogurt shake and that’s another protein source. No cow’s milk for Nate – he’ll only take vanilla soy milk, please. So, from one pipsqueak’s mama to another, I feel ya. Tell us if you find a great and healthy protein source that Bean will chow down on…maybe Nater Tater will follow suit.
Lisa
Chips Ahoy makes Reese’s Peanut Butter cup flavoured cookies in the States?!? Not fair. We definitely don’t have those in Canada 🙁 If Bean can’t have those, send them up my way!
jen
Lol…this sounds exactly like my husband n, e with our almost 3 year old. Kason eats really healthy for the most part excep when my husband or my father is charge of a meal. My father thinks that fruit snacks count as his fruit intake for the day.
Try not to stress to much about him only being in the 5% for weight. Kason has been there his whole life but he is healthy looking n super active. Our doctor said as long as he is on the scale that is what is important.
good luck with the cookie n soda battle…love that chris bought bean soda…lol
rachael Hardin
hahah!! I don’t have that problem my kids are so tall they are off the chart. 🙂 Try making zuchinni bread with yogurt and crasins. mine kids LOVE it we call it crazy keenie bread. fruit breads are a great way to squeeze in more fruit and veggies. just use applesauce and yogurt instead of oils
Sarah
Look at Chris, this kid is destined to be a bean pole!! Own that metabolism and eat the cookies bean!!! If you thought your food bills were bad now, just wait until he gets to high school.
Tara @ Married With Child
The combination some how balances out and represents you both and the love you both have for him! It has go to be winning combination. I hope it works and if not you will just have to find out if it is something as simple as genetics or even allergies or celiacs. But no matter what I am sure he will continue to be a happy little boy. Then there is the other side like with my son that he really has very little interest in food and is 9 months going on two years and where he gets his height no clue I just hope he stays in proportion like Bean so we know everything is working as it should be!
Casey
Best of luck getting some weight on the Bean man!
Amanda
€œThese aren’t empty calories,€ he argued, holding up the cookies. €œThey have COCOA in them. That’s totally natural. It’s from, like, a tree.€
That part made me laugh outloud right at my desk! I was very tiny as a child as well because I didn’t eat a lot of meat. Hiding protein in his food is a good way to go! Good luck!
Jenn
I’m guessing Chris also bought them so he doesn’t feel guilty eating them lol. Hopefully adding the proteins help out the Bean man.
Waiting for Bulgaria
My son has always been in the 1% for both height and weight. My doctor is completely unconcerned. First, she said that a few years back they changed the height/weight charts to accomodate heavier kids. Second, she said that as long as he continues to grow she’s happy. Third, she said the same thing about looking malnourished. Fourth, (sorry about this long list) she said some kids are just small. I’m telling you all that, to tell you not to worry. As far as food goes, we make an effort to have healthy meals, but if he eats good he gets a cookie. Yes it’s bribery. Yes it’s wrong. But it works. We do not allow any soda at all, and only a little bit of juice here and there. Bean is a beautiful, healthy little boy. I wouldn’t worry.
Waiting for Bulgaria
Oh yeah, I have to add something, and then I promise I’ll leave you alone. My son is almost four and still drinks whole milk. We also feed him whole fat yogurt. The doctor said that as long as he was low both were fine.
Ann G-B
Yeppers – we have one of those as well. He turned two on Monday and his 12 months shorts still fall around his ankles! We keep him on whole milk dairy products and I try to slip in dried milk into yogurt to add more protein. I have been giving him yogurt drinks in the morning instead of milk and we are very generous with the carbs like crackers. But no sugary crap either! It makes him wild and cranky!
Sandy
same with my 12 year old except the height has skyrocketed…you can count his ribs (which he tries to tell people are his abs =o) but he is already taller than me. on a side note…whoever invented those adjustable waistbands in kids clothes should be given the nobel peace prize!
Katie C
Does Bean like peanut butter?? Peanut butter is a good source of protein…especially for kids who don’t eat meat very well. Unfortunately, my son hates peanut butter.
Alaina
My sister had the same problem with Roo…it’s a tough thing when the kiddo is so picky or doesn’t eat much when he/she does eat. I’m thinking your tactic might be a bit better, but…those cookies do look good!
Shelley
Absolutely hysterical! Men do have a different language chip in their brain, don’t they?
OH_ what happened to your I’m grateful for addendums to each post?
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Why do the dads always get to be the fun parent?
Jody
I’m like Lisa, I noticed the PB cookies before I noticed teeny Bean! 😉
My son is also a teeny guy, in the ‘under 3%’ group, but I ignore it because I know how healthy he is and I know how healthy we eat. I don’t listen to the medical community who constantly change the rules and don’t look at the whole person, I’m glad your dr seemed to look at Bean rather than just the numbers.
BTW, I do like Chris’ idea but my mommy-ness agrees with you ;).
Nova Kristin
My daughter who is now 14 doesn’t even make it on the chart. She’s a dainty little thing, 4’10” and 70ish lbs Her dr said as long as she is growing there is no need for concern or fattening up 😉 I agree with Sandy, if it wasn’t for supper skinny with an adjustable waist the child would be running around pantless.
Kristen
My little brother (now 20) was always off the charts skinny (under 5%). We used to feed him boxes of powdered hostess donuts to fatten him up before doctors appointments. Not sure it ever worked (or hurt any!). He hasn’t ever gotten any fatter, despite a the donuts!
Katie
I have a picky eater, so it’s hard to get enough calories in her everyday. Our expedition told me to add powdered milk to some of her foods (macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, anything where it could be “hidden”) in order to get more calories and protein in her diet. It seems to work, and she doesn’t notice it at all.
Jen @ Caved In
Sully is on the opposite end. He’s in the 97% for height and weight. So yes he’s pleasantly chubby, as most 6 month olds should be but he ‘s so stinking tall he’s in 12 month clothes right now. Carrying around a 24 pound kid is working my arms though. But as long as Bean is getting a good balance of healthy food versus cookies (Yum) he’s fine.
Ashley @ According to Ashley
Hehehe! Men!
Ashley @ A Recipe for Sanity
LMAO…this is hysterical! Bean will be just fine, as you know. And a couple extra cookies never killed anyone. 😉
Also, the books by Jessica Seinfeld (Deceptively Delicious, and there is another one…the name escapes me) are really great tools for making yummy meals that hide nutritious goodies! So Bean will eat stuff he likes, and get extra nutrients too. 🙂
Lisa
…and will Chris be taking care of Bean when he’s running around the house going crazy on a massive sugar high? Will he be there when Bean becomes addicted to sugar and doesn’t want to eat ANY healthy foods? You already know this, but just in case Chris needs a second, third and fourth opinion… Watch out…
Lissa
First, how tall is bean %age-wise? He always looks so tall to me, so I am shocked to hear he’s so light! Second, did Chris really buy the soda for Bean?! lol
My oldest is the same, so we’ve played the “fatten up” game too. They get so busy that they really slow down their growth, and now at the age of the 4, I’m finally relaxed with it all. We did a lot of yogurt (and yogurt fruit dip if he likes dipping). If he likes pasta, Barilla Plus has more protein than regular noodles. Some friends of mine would also add cooked egg whites chopped finely to hide in yogurt. But really, try not to worry, he’ll be completely fine!
Lindsey
This is Hi-larious…love the different approaches to health. Ha! I also love your your tagline note to future Bean.
DeAnna
That is hilarious!
While my kids are in the 66th and 96th percentiles, we actually had to use some dietary supplements for my son (66th percentile at age 6), he basically stopped eating at 9 months old because he didn’t want to be fed by anyone other than himself. So we had to start using Pediasure…it is like Ensure, but in powder form that you mix with milk.
Alot of size is genetics, I was a tiny kid growing up and my hubby,well was 6 feet by the time he was in the sixth grade. I know my daughter got all of her Daddy’s genes when it comes to growth/size and my son got a mix of us both. So what I am saying is, there are things you can do, but don’t worry too much about it as long as he is growing and healthy.
sarah
haha, this is a very good “problem” to have. I’m sure you guys will make Bean the happiest and healthiest little boy in Florida.
Melinda
I think we can all agree that the cookies are good because they have cocoa in them. It does indeed come from a tree or something. I also think we can all agree that this could be extended to anything containing cocoa. Would write more but I’m on a mission to find a Baby Ruth…….lol You all are hilarious!
Rj (Kids and Cast Iron)
This is just too funny! I think I might have went in the middle. However, I don’t have that problem since my baby is in the 95th percentile height and weight. She is a big little infant!
nigel
Haha….Publix!
This is totally unrelated, but a friend of mine back in college (I went to school about a half hour/45 mins north of Tampa) went to one of those once after taking some mind-altering selections from the herb department, and realizing that the light behind the ‘l’ on the sign out front had burned out, kept on pronouncing it as it was shown, sans L.
Totally unrelated to Bean’s health, but your photo totally reminded me of it.
zerodoll
Made me laugh out loud!
Lindsay (Young Married Mom)
Does anyone else find it ironic that Bean doesn’t like beans? Maybe he relates too well? Also, Jen @ Caved In, I feel you on the giant baby thing. My son is starting to slim down since he began to crawl, and the 12M clothes he started wearing in January (when he was 3.5 mo) still fit now. Plus, my arms are super toned 🙂
Sam
Katie, I think this is one of your best entries yet. I’ve been reading awhile, and this one made me chuckle, especially the end. Rock on!
All My Monkeys
I don’t have time to read all the comments to see if someone already suggested this (fussing hungry tired baby on lap) so pardon if this is a repeat. Protein shakes. (You could also buy pedia sure I think it’s called, but this is easy and probably cheaper.) I started making smoothies and adding protein powder (from Sam’s club) in them. My 6yo daughter had a virus this spring and didn’t eat for 6 days. She lost so much weight that even her underwear were baggy. THey say it’s too easy to drink our calories away so I thought, hey, that would be good for her. And you can chuck in fruit, yogurt (buy the whole fat kind for extra calories) and even peanut butter or flax seed oil.
Megan
BAHAHAHA!! This post cracks me up! I can totally see this conversation going down at our house someday, too. My husband has a serious sweet tooth, and homeslice will find any excuse to hit up the baked goods and soda aisles at the store. Good luck bulking up the Bean – he’s cute as a button!
Alyssa
Your blog is just what I needed today to smile. I’m at home dealing with a bad case of morning sickness. I haven’t been online in a few days and I decided it was time to get back into things 🙂 This post made me laugh and smile and I haven’t done that in a couple of days 🙂 As for the cookies- well- maybe a few wouldn”t hurt, along with your healthy products too 🙂
Lori @ I Can Grow People
I find this totally surprising because every time I see a photo of Bean I always think that in comparison, P-Bo is small. Bean looks (in photos) like he is 6 inches taller than Porter. And with Porter we have an opposite problem–Porter is all protein all the time. I just can’t get the kid to eat a vegetable on a regular basis. Sometimes a carrot here, or some celery there–but that is pretty much it. If you come across any good recipes please share!
CAlypso
I had to have my husband read this… we both cracked up .. this is soooo us!!!!
Erin
My son is teeny too!! He’s almost 4 and still wearing 2T pants! When my sister was little, she had the same problem and her doctor told me parents to give her chocolate milk instead of regular milk to fatten her up. I’d try that with Owen but he doesn’t like chocolate (WHAT KIND OF KID DOESN’T LIKE CHOCOLATE??? It blows my mind!!!) Best of luck fattening the little man up!
Amanda H
My niece is super teeny too. They have her drinking pediasure three times a day and it has helped. She really likes the strawberry kind. Good luck and don’t stress too much. As long as he’s healthy it will be fine. 🙂