All right, I’ve got a problem.

Well, at least both grandmothers think I have a problem. And when two grandmas think you have a problem, it does really become a problem in more ways than one, if you know what I mean.

I’ll cut right to the chase.  My daughter, she is among the teeniest of Teeny Manolos.

She wasn’t born extremely small, a bit less than seven pounds, a week before her due date.  She was breastfed exclusively until eight months, half formula and half breastmilk for the next month, and then formula exclusively.  I’ll write about my adventures in pumping at another time.

Suffice it to say that girlfriend isn’t really toeing the line in the weight department.  She actually lost weight from her 9 month well-baby to the 12 month well-baby exam.  She rings in at an unimpressive 18 pounds.  Which puts her in the 6th percentile for weight.  She’s in the 14th for height, but she’s never been past the 20th percentile in any category since birth.  Her doctor showed me her plot points on the growth chart, and she is advancing up the curve as she is supposed to.  She’s just on the lower end of it.

Developmentally, she’s right on track in every other way.  She began walking at 10.5 months, and can clap and wave and grasp small objects like nobody’s business.  She’s not talking in words, but her brother pulled the same crap, and didn’t talk until almost 18 months.  When he did, he spoke in perfectly formed sentences, so I’ll cut her a bit of slack on that one.

I would definitely describe her as a picky eater, and not a hearty eater, either.  I think our main problem right now is that she refuses to eat anything she can’t pick up herself.  She is so NOT ready to feed herself with a spoon, though.  I’ve tried and it just ends up in lots of wailing and teeth-gnashing and food on the floor.  She’s much too fond of flinging things onto the floor at this point.

I will add that my husband and myself, we are not small people.  Not in height, or at this stage in our lives, girth.  I’ve always been, ahem, “big-boned” and my husband is a former defensive lineman.  Which is to say, you would never pick a fight with either of us in a bar.  As for the Munchkin, he was always in the 90th percentile or above for height and weight as a baby.  He is now very tall and very, very slim.  However, both sets of gradparents, and great-grandparents, for that matter, are all quite small.  My husband and I are familial aberrations, if you will.

So, it has come to the point where one grandmother is offering to pay for specialists to run tests on baby girl, while the other keeps clucking and making noises about “failure to thrive” and that kind of annoying talk that implicates I am a bad, bad, mother.  Never mind that the child is as loud and rambunctious as any group of drunk bikers. 

Should I worry?  Should I call and order some specialists like my MIL wants me to?  Is it a grandma thing? 

What say you, dear readers?  The readers of the Manolosphere are well-known to be the sharpest crayons in the box, so I await your advice.

48% of you are doing just fine with your holiday shopping, while 31% of you are eyeing them in a  fit of jealousy.  Not to mention the 11% who are already done, and the 8% of you who don’t do any holiday shopping.  I’ve not really started yet, but I know pretty much exactly what I’m getting for those I’m buying for.   For others, it’s just a matter of deciding to give them my homemade cranberry almond scones or the chocolate chip.

Today, I want you to look at the photo of the young ladies above.  Apparently this is what happens when you allow Tom Ford to take over French Vogue.

Are you still in your jammies? Or have you already been to your Black Friday sales?

Either way, Neil Patrick Harris won yet again, this time over Alex Rodriguez.  Is it because he is a Yankee? Or is it, as my husband said, he looks like he has to go #2?  After I posted the picture and he said that, I sort of agreed with him, but then defended myself by saying that if it looked that bad then Details Magazine should never have published it.  Amirite?

Today’s dreamy British challenger is best known to American audiences for his role in Inception.  He has a two year old son, and I, for one, totally look forward to seeing him in many more movies. 

And I swear by all that is holy, I will keep this shirtless streak alive until at least Christmas.

VERSUS

Ha, actually in my family the kids can’t stand to be at the adult table.

I am thankful for a fantastic boss, and for you, the readers who actually willingly read my ramblings.  What is wrong with you?

Seriously though, I love you all.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

You know, sometimes it isn’t about the latest and the greatest.  Some toys have stood the test of time and are great choices for any year or special occasion.

Classic Choral Top Push it, and it lights up and makes music.  The harder you push, the faster the sounds and lights go.  Much more fun than you would think!

Lincoln Logs Bicentennial Edition I am of the opinion that you can never go wrong with Lincoln Logs.

Foam Building Blocks Oversized blocks=tons of fun.  Hmmm, my daugher just might enjoy these!

Arcade Crane Game A friend of ours has this, and it is a big hit with everyone, young and old alike.

Carrom Game Board Who didn’t play with one of these as a kid?  Indoors or out, you can’t lose with 100+ games, besides being able to make up your own!

Pull-Along Alphabet Blocks Combines alphabet and number blocks along with a pull-toy.  First introduced in 1858.

Savannah Dollhouse  For a little girl, I’m not sure it gets much better than this.

Electronic Snap Circuits 100  This introductory set will definitely get your child thinking.  In a good way.

Special Edition Erector Set  They’ve been around for a long time for good reason.

Gyroscopes Still gravity-defying, still fascinating.

Here are some of the newst, hottest toys for your Christmas/Hannukkah/Kwaanzaa/post-Festivus Feats of Strength shopping pleasure.

LEGO Harry Potter Sets– This is one I’ve personally invested in, and I have to say that the Hogwart’s Castle is absolutely one of the best LEGO playsets ever released.  And this is coming from a woman whose home contains probably a million LEGO pieces.  The smaller ones are wonderful, too.  Get ’em before they’re gone, because this is most likely the last time they’ll be produced.

XBOX 360 Kinect– Taking the Wii motion-sensing gameplay to the next level.  No equipment required, just step in front of the sensor and start playing!

Fisher Price Sing-a-ma-jigs This little plush toy sings it’s own song, and then when put next to other Sing-a-ma-jigs, they create great songs together.

Zhu-Zhu pets and accessories– These little guys are still going strong from last year, and if you’ve already got some, then it’s all about the playhouses, fun balls, and salons.  Yes, salons.

Fisher Price Dance Star Mickey– What would the holiday season be without some sort of dancing, animatronic figure?  This year Mickey is your go-to guy.

Paper Jamz musical instruments– Circuits embedded in paper create musical instruments with no strings needed.

LeapFrog Leapster Explorer– Before he got his DSi, my son absolutely loved his Leapster.  This is the next generation, and sure to be better than the original.

Nerf and Strike Stampede ECS– If your child takes his neighborhood Nerf gun wars as seriously as mine does, this one is for you.

Pillow Pets– Cute, soft, snuggly.  What’s not to like?

Squinkies– Haven’t heard of these teensy-sized toys and their fun dispensers?  I assure you your daughter has.

Last week I wanted to know about your experiences with bullies, and I am sad to say that the highest vote-getting category was the one where you were bullied for a long, ugly period of time.  A full 38% of you answered yes to this, and all I can say at this point is that I am so, so, sorry.  Not surprisingly then, being bullied for a short amount of time was next, with 35% of the vote.  Good grief, where were parents and school staff when you needed them?  Although I have to say, I’m not sure it’s changed much.  5% of you admitted to being a bully, and I admire you for coming out and saying so.  Personally, I was not bullied in school, aside from a few dorky boys making fun of my then-Italian last name here and there.  I like to think it was because I had an athletic build, was tall, and was already lifting weights with my dad, so I looked like I could pretty much beat anybody up. Boys included.

It is the week of the American Thanksgiving, and thus the official time to start shopping those pre-holiday sales.  Such as they are.  And a belated Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

Q: What happens when you have a toddler who is cutting multiple teeth and wakes up, crying inconsolably all night long? And then had to go for her well-baby checkup, which included six shots?

A: A very late CDF.

Peter Facinelli, despite being a vampire, was no competition for Neil  Patrick Harris, who beat him with 77% of the vote.  Goodbye to Peter and his facial scruff.  I’m not a big fan of scruff, so I guess I’m OK with his departure.

Today I’ve got a man, who despite being sort of a jerk, is still undeniably good looking.  Can we here at Teeny Manolo overlook his douchebag status and vote for the bad boy? 

We’ll see…

VERSUS