Show off

(Zander almost standing on his own on Monday - he's leaning back against the couch.)

Zander was quite the show off for the doctor yesterday. Within the first minute he said "hi" "thank you" and "ba-ba." He also stood on his own, using one hand on the leg of the examining table to balance. He showed off his pincer grasp, which he has down solid now. His doctor was amazed and praised him mightily. He weighed in at 16 lbs. 4 ozs. which puts him in the 2nd percentile. The doctor struggled to say this was okay - because of course someone has to be 1st and 2nd and 95th percentile for there to be a range and this is a range of NORMAL sized healthy babies but there are a lot of people out there in our country who think a baby whose weight is in the 95th percentile is somehow superior to one in the 2nd percentile. Bulwacky. What I see going on - and the doctor herself although she's maintaining some caution just in case something develops I suppose - is that Zander does not have the genetics of a large person (I'm 5'3" and Matt's 5'8"ish) and Zander is very active. Very. He eats a lot, in case any of you reading this blog missed that part. For breakfast this morning (and yesterday morning) he ate a whole banana and a couple fistfuls of cheerios (my fistful).

2nd percentile. Whatever. My mother heard that the one true sign of genius in a baby is how early they talk - not when they walk or crawl or eat solid foods. Okay. But what is genius without oppotunities and a good home-life and room to explore the world and freedom to think his own thoughts?

(Zander loves to feed himself squash.)

Our work is far from done.