Top Heavy.
I’m sure this is news to exactly no one, but Simone has a giant head. At her last pediatrician appointment, both her weight and height were nearing the 15th percentile, while her head was clearing the 75th. Now that she is walking, this is more noticeable than ever, and frankly I think it’s a miracle that she is able to remain upright while balancing that thing. At 19 months, she weighs 21 pounds, and has spindly little arms and shoulders, but atop them is the head of a 9-year-old. I am told that this is common, especially with preemies, who do their catch-up growth in stages. The head is first.
I have a larger post brewing, about a New York Times article that several of you were kind enough to send me. In fact, I’ve started and abandoned THREE entries on the subject so far. But I’m still mulling. I’m mulling, and mulling, and you’ll have to bear with me.
In the meantime, look at my nice baby, walking around and picking up that giant ball to throw to (at) me! Can you believe that two years ago tomorrow I was looking at her through a microscope?
41 Comments
Bigger head = bigger cute cheeks!
both my kids have 95% heads yeah and my son Drew is 4, and is 25% for height and weight…… and he was full term, guess I just have big headed kids?? I suppose I realized the extent of my kids large heads when clothing that otherwise fits them wont go over their giant noggins (well without much effort and complaining!)
I just love seeing pictures of Simone she is such a cutie!
Sprite’s head is still off the charts at almost 3 years. People think she has a lot of hair until I put it up in pigtails and then the comments start. “Wow, she has a big head.”
All my boys had/have big heads. I am sure they will call catch up eventually.
She is so adorable!! I love the cheeks.
Katherine has always been around 50th percentile for height and 75th for weight but her head has remained a steady 90th percentile. We have smart girls!
I saw the NYT article. I thought “Well no shit,” but presumably you can write something funnier. I know you can.
There is no way she was as cute through the microscope — I mean, you couldn’t see the glasses, right?
She’s still adorable, big head and all.
I think that walking is what finally tells the rest of them to catch up with the head. I was always so worried that M was going to topple over. Also, cheeks, just want to eat them. Nom.
I had a bunch of folks send me that article too, even though none of my children were actually IN the NICU.
Rings true, but… not sure it helps, ya know?
:)
PS: Still dancing about your book deal. :D
Hank is almost 21 pounds, and he’s…cough…six months. And he’s tall and has a giant head, so he’s just big all around, thus appearing to be MUCH older than he is. Now I know everyone is going to throw internet rotten tomatoes at me for having a healthy, full term, thriving baby. But if you’ll indulge my complaining for just a moment:
People constantly, CONSTANTLY, give me looks of pity as if my baby is “slow” because he appears to be well over a year old but isn’t talking/walking.
Strangers have been trying to get him to wave, clap, what have you for months now and act put out when he smiles but otherwise has no idea what they are commanding him to do. A server once SNAPPED HIS FINGERS IN HANK’S FACE when Hank was 4 months and said “wow, he’s not very with it” when he wasn’t responding “age appropriately.”
Sigh.
My SIL just took her preemies out of the hospital. That articles makes me want to do something for her to support her now that the twins are home, but I just don’t know what to do. So. That’s that.
Aww. My 2 y/o is the exact opposite. Her height and weight are always in the 50-75th percentile, while her head is usually in the 5-10 percentile.
I have started and erased a number of responses to the NYT article, much like, perhaps, you are rewriting your posts. I’m really glad that people are researching this, and I hope the information is helpful to you.
I love to look at your nice baby, big head or not.
My former preemie is 23 pounds at 39 months of age. She is and always has been under 0, whatever that is, with a 50th percentile head. My full termer, also petite, is 5th percentile for weight, 10th for height, and 50th for head size. 16.25 pounds at 12 months of age. I love big heads!!! Focus on the smile and the gleam in the eye, and watch for tippiness.
One thing I’ve learned over the years, is that PTSD is a part of almost every person who has ever had a loss, or gone through IF or had a child who has had a serious illness.
My bereavement support group pretty much all have it. In Family Centred Care we learned that it happens to almost anyone undergoing multiple invasive medical procedures, adult or child, or whomever.
Alexa, write about it, or don’t, but take your time with it while you think about it. The point is for YOU to be aware that this is a risk and if you think you have it, get it checked, and get help.
And there are lots of good treatments if you needed them. And if you don’t, then you don’t.
Take care of the big headed baby. ;)
My baby also has a giant melon (90th %tile). I’m not sure how her neck supports it. Doc always reminds me there is no correlation between head size and intelligence…but I’m crossing my fingers that inside her noggin is a big genius brain.
Interesting point in the article about the dads keeping it together at first and then…not.
Your daughter is a wonder of coordination, she does a beautiful job of balancing that big ol’ bean and its certain to be accompanying super whizzy brain.
Oh no. Just dashed to check my ex-preemie’s head measurements and she does NOT have a disproportionately large head. Panic. Perhaps she isn’t catching up yet.
I thought that my hopes of a big genius brain were toast but I am clinging to ‘be like the squirrel, girl’s doctor’ remark. No correlation, phew. Else she’s going to take after her peanut brained mother.
I would love to read your response to the NYT article. I certainly can’t escape those four NICU months.
Your daughter is a wonder of coordination, she does a beautiful job of balancing that big ol’ bean and its certain to be accompanying super whizzy brain.
Oh no. Just dashed to check my ex-preemie’s head measurements and she does NOT have a disproportionately large head. Panic. Perhaps she isn’t catching up yet.
I thought that my hopes of a big genius brain were toast but I am clinging to ‘be like the squirrel, girl’s doctor’ remark. No correlation, phew. Else she’s going to take after her peanut brained mother.
I would love to read your response to the NYT article. Even more so the book. I certainly can’t escape those four NICU months.
You never leave the NICU behind.
All Simone’s proportions look just darling to me! Mind you, Harry is also the proud possessor of a 90-something head, a 9th centile weight and a 0.4th centile height.
Alexa…
Be proud of that big head…It’s holding her BIG BRAIN in!!!! I think she is a gutie petutie!!! You should be very, very proud of how far you have come with her. What a long-hard journey and you have sailed through with flying colors. Kudos mama! You have done a FANTASTIC job!!!!
Elena was born in the 5th percentile for height and weight, and topped the charts at the 95th (ouch!) for head circumference. She has stayed on target with that head percentile, and inched her way up to the 10th percentile for height and weight. She’ll be two in October, and just hit the 22 pound mark.
Here’s what I say: They give away bobble-head dolls at Twins’ games, but I’ve got a real-life version at home.
I spend waaaaaaay less money on clothes than a person with a child who actually grows on any sort of a schedule! E’s been in 12-18′s since January. Score!
And, at a whopping 5 foot nothin’ myself, I’m not holding out hopes for my girls’ eventual height. (But don’t tell her, I think she’s still hoping she’ll be tall someday).
Embrace the wee bobbleheadedness of Simone. It’s a charming characteristic that few get to behold.
Best,
A
Hooray for the big-headed babies! Lots of brains in there. I have a big-headed baby myself. Stinks for shirts and hats. I finally had to ask a store – where you you keep the sun hats for 4 year olds? (He’s 1.) He’s been sporting a lot of the button down shirts. Who knew I’d raise a preppy kid?
My son had an off-the-percentile-chart giant head, too. I think they’re like puppies growing into their feet. Plus, Simone wears hers so nicely. I’m practically dead of the cuteness!
My son was a week late and had a giant head. I think he finally grew into it when he was in 4th grade. Too bad that was so long ago that digital pics weren’t an option or I would send you some. ;)
That baby of yours is so perfect I just wish I could squeeze those cheeks and give them big kisses. Just think of it this way, she will have REALLY strong neck muscles so whiplash should be something you won’t have to worry about. ;)
Thanks for sharing her pics. She is too darn cute.
She is sooooo adorable!!! I have truly enjoyed watching her grow through the blog pics!! Thank you for sharing your baby girl with us. She’s a treasure!!!
she is just beautiful!
xokath
Movie stars all have giant heads – it makes them look more attractive. So it’s not surprising that Simone has a big head – she’s just a future movie star!
Yeah.
3% body, 97% head.
and she has HUGE hair.
8 billion specialists and copays later, Dr. Specialist told us, “Your husband has a big head. Ana has a big head. Big head.”
Thank you. Pay on your way out. ;-)
i love her glasses so much.
shes so cute in them :)
i never knew that about preemies catching up in stages.
hugs!
Well, as the mother of four big head babies (“That’s the biggest head I’ve ever seen on a baby that size!” exclaimed the pediatrician doing WB’s well check immediately after her birth), I think Simone is beautiful.
My head is proportioned just fine now. When I was a baby my sweet parents called me bowling ball head, with love of course. I was bald and had a hell of a head. All good now, so don’t worry. She is just darling!!!!!
She’s so lovely, Alexa! I’m still so thrilled for you that she’s here and she’s doing so well. She’s a joyful little piece of life, that’s for sure.
We both have freak-headed babies! Hee, hee. My Cate has a ginormous head–it’s in the 90% while her weight is in the 5th. She looks like a bobble head–and i really should have her specially made clothes. As you know-getting the necks of shirts over their heads is torture. For everyone involved.
Though, I think they are both cute as can be. The look like bobble heads!
Simone is awesome! I love her glasses and I quite frankly didn’t really think her head was that large. However I’ve never delivered a child so perhaps I’m just not attentive enough to this kind of thing. (Love the toys in their bin behind her, does this mean she’s changed from the bathtub to the toybox?)
I love this girl!
soooo cute in the glasses!
My 27 weeker, 6 y.o. now, still has a >97% head and a 15% height/ weight. I’m still waiting for that ‘catch up’ growth :)
My son is nearly 22 months and somewhere around 23 pounds. He has always been around 3% for height, 10-15% for weight, and greater than 95% for head. (He was born at 38 weeks.) At his last appointment, they simply drew an arrow pointing up in the spot where they record the percentiles on a sheet for the parents to take home. He had better be packing a plethora of gray matter in there.
My son was full-term and at his 12-month check-up he was around 50% for height and weight, but his head was above the chart! The ped said that big heads often run in the family. At 3 years of age he still looks a bit top heavy to me, but it does seem as if the rest of his body is getting more in proportion. Simone is extremely cute!
That was an interesting article. I’m looking forward to your response to it.
Go go Simone! 19 months and 21 lbs. That is awesome! My 12 month old “little” girl is the opposite, she has a 90th percentile body but only a 50th percentile head. My twins were born full size and full term at 38 weeks (please, please don’t hate me) but one of them weighed in at only 29 1/2 lbs at his 3 year appointment. By the time Simone is two she’ll be able to kick his butt.
HEED! PANTS! NOW!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108174/quotes
I hate the little bitch.