She's a bean pole.

Romy had a gastroenterologist appointment yesterday. She's been on 30 calorie-per-ounce formula for 10 weeks and gained 13 measly ounces. To most kids this would be fine, but we really needed Romy to gain much more so that she can catch up on some growth. To put it into perspective, most 1 year old girls are 28-29 inches long and 20-22 pounds. Romy is 27.5 inches long and 15.5 pounds. Although she is nearly caught up on height, she's very underweight and it can eventually stunt her overall growth and cause even more developmental delays. Oh and God forbid she gets sick and loses what little she has. So the doctor put her on an appetite stimulant in the hopes that it will be the push to want to eat more. Right now she's taking in 15-18 ounces of formula, 2-4 tablespoons of actual food and a handful of goldfish crackers, cheese or some other snack daily. I mix in olive oil or heavy cream into her food and sometimes into her bottle on particularly sluggish days. Although it's enough to maintain her weight and keep up with her length, it's nowhere near enough to get her to catch up to a healthy weight. I wouldn't say that she's a picky eater because she will try anything and has many favorite foods. She eats, just not very much. We've ruled out any sensory issues because she enjoys a variety of flavors and textures and rarely gags on food. We haven't had a major feeding strike in months, but she still refuses a bottle every now and then.

I always imagined teaching my children healthy eating habits early so that it wouldn't be a problem later in life. All of that is out the window now. We have been instructed to feed her only high calorie/high fat foods. She eats eggs, cheese, peanut butter (she had it today for the first time and liked it), ice cream, french fries, butter, donuts (seriously!) and whatever fatty goodness she'll let us give her. We have to make every bite count. If she's having vegetables than it's to be smothered in olive oil. Fruit? Covered in cream. Toast? Slathered with butter. Snack time? How about some Krispy Kreme? Man, I wish someone would tell ME that I HAD to eat all of that.

Doesn't sound healthy, huh? Well at this point it's our last chance, we were informed that if the appetite stimulant doesn't work, than it will be time to discuss a g-tube. It's a feeding tube that is surgically placed into the stomach with the opening on the outside of the stomach. I'd like to avoid this at all costs. So please, say a little prayer for the stimulant to work and for Romy to put on some chunk. Thanks guys.

And now for some ridiculously cute bath time pictures....