Growth Spurt

During the summer there were many times I looked at Drew and thought, "Dang. He is skinny." We've had trouble keeping his swimming trunks up. There have been many an inadvertent "moon" at the pool. Our school has a strict rule against "sagging" and I have to stay on top of the adjustable waist in Drew's shorts so he doesn't land in in-school suspension.

I don't know if they really have in-school suspension (or ISS if you will) at his school.

Anyway, both kids had their check-ups last month and I was very interested to see what his growth curve was looking like. Let me just say that while the height has been freakishly on the move, the weight? Notsomuch. The BMI curve is starting to look like a sad face.

Because Drew was in the room I didn't want to act like my crazy, irrational mom self. So, I just raised my eyebrows and low-talked to the ped. "Are you concerned?" I said. He laughed, because, well, I've been asking this questions regularly for the past 6.5 years. Then he said, "Are YOU concerned?" So, I low-talked again, out the side of my mouth, "He's just so thin!" He laughed at me again. I'm sure he means it in love. He told me he was not concerned, but to bring him back for a weight check in 6 months.

Skip ahead 3 weeks, and I think it's safe to say Drew's bod is in catch-up mode. I cannot keep the kid fed! You know how most kids chub up a little right before a growth spurt? I think Drew might go opposite. Like he grows 3 inches in 18 months and then his body goes into super eating mode to catch-up.

Welcome, friends, to super eating mode.

I'm not going to lie. My grocery budget is taking a beating. I've taken to hiding some things in the pantry just so they'll last longer than one day. You think I'm kidding. I'm totally not.

The hunger has also created a rather unpleasant demeanor. I mean, I can get down right ugly when I'm hungry. And, since Drew is apparently hungry all the time...you see where I'm going? Grumpy city. Basically, it goes like this: Drew gets up-get food in him RIGHT away unless you want to pay the price. Lunch is packed (last week he told me he needed WAY more food in his lunch), a snack is packed. Then when we pick him up from school, I have to hand him something to eat right then or the walk home will be a little less delightful. When we get home, he eats what I like to call 2nd lunch (or 1st dinner-whichever you prefer). I've found that if I fix him a meal right after school, he's less likely to snack all afternoon. And, if you're worried that the 1st dinner will spoil real dinner, don't be. He'll eat his and probably half of Emily's.

Are you exhausted yet? Because I feel sort of like Alice from Mel's Diner.

I'm hoping this is a phase and not our new normal. I know it's coming, the eating machine phase of a boy's life. But I'm not really ready for it to be right now.

I have a sneaking suspicion that a 6 month weight check might not be necessary...