2 weeks

Yesterday was Axel's 2 week check up at the clinic.  Technically he is 17 days old, but they still call it a 2 week check up.  He was a champ...no crying, and he just looked around and even let the stretch him out to get a good height measurement.  Speaking of his height, this is the second appointment he's had since he left the hospital and both times he was measured at 22 inches.

They had him at 20 inches when he was born...even though, literally, the doctor's first comment about him when she pulled him out was how long he was.  I thought so too...he was bigger than everyone thought when they felt my belly...he was 8 lbs. 6 oz. but not chubby.  This led everyone, including the nurses, to be skeptical of that initial measurement... and it looks like we were right to be so.  Either Axel grew 2 inches in a few days, or he was shortchanged a couple inches on his initial measurement.

In other exciting measurement news, Axel weighs 8 lbs. 14 oz. - 8 oz. above his birth weight.  That is always a good feeling.  I know he's been eating well, but it is just so hard to know how much he's getting and if I'm reading his needs well...so the good report is encouraging.

 

 Of course the nurse practitioner had a little help checking Axel out.  

Tobi has been a great helper at home too.  Some of her help is truly useful...like her willingness to bring things to me when I am feeding her brother.  Other help is questionable.  This poor kid has had his pacifier (which is known as "sucky" around these parts) shoved into his mouth numerous times a day, whether he wants it or not.  She likes to hold her baby brother...but only for a very short time usually.  You have to watch carefully so that when she is "all done" baby Axel doesn't end up on the floor. 

 

She is still mostly busy taking care of her many, many babies.  Here's a typical line up. 

 

I don't know how she does it...one baby is more than enough for me to handle at a time! As you can see Axel fits quite well into her world.