Tough Spot...

So I had a little extra cash to buy the kids some clothes this weekend. They grow so crazy fast that I can barely keep up! Sometimes they don't even wear something once before they've outgrown it. So I bought Liv a couple outfits from the store, keeping in mind that I would probably have to hem the jeans. I'm used to this, though... Liv is short like me (and her father) and she's always been a little thick. She's also a little swaybacked, and although it's always been cute, clothes don't fit her like they do the average person. So at the beginning of the school year I was buying a size 8 for her and mending them. Then I was buying a 10. They seemed a little loose, but she was very comfortable in a 10 because of her build. But I needed to trim a good 6" off the leg length. So when I bought this outfit Saturday, and she tried it on, I was taken aback when she couldn't even zip up the zipper.

Brandon has been on her about her eating habits, and quite honestly, it upsets me. I was a little girl once, and even with the minimal problems I came across, it was tough. It's a balance that's very easily upset. And we eat healthy food in our house. Much healthier than when I was a kid. And I was a stick as a kid. But I put her on a scale and watched the needle touch the 80 mark. I measured her and she's just barely 4'1". I did the math, her BMI is 23.5 . That means she's over the 98th percentile for her age .

So, we had a talk. Not a big deal talk, but I think I helped her understand the possible risks that she's up against if she doesn't get up and exercise- and quit eating out of boredom. She didn't seem upset that we were talking about it. She was more upset when we talked about diabetes. Having to give up candy and possibly having to give yourself shots every day got her attention. So we found a website called MyPyramid. It has a lot of resources for kids (and grown ups) to help them eat healthy, exercise, and keep track of all of it. So far she digs it. She's got a paper she takes to school that talks about how much of each food group she should be eating every day and examples of each group. When she asks for a snack (which is always), we look at what she's eaten and what she could still eat, and it usually ends up being a fruit or veggie.

So this is the second day we've done this. Of course it's all exciting right now. Then things will get boring and the plan will get scrapped. But hopefully not before she learns how to eat healthy and exercise regularly. I can say, though, that this snuck up on me. I don't think I'm one of "those" parents. A parent who enables their child and never notices that they're 300 lbs, force feeding them cheeseburgers all the while. Obviously she's not 300 lbs. But she is beautiful, and smart, and talented. It's just this one little thing we need to work on. And I look forward to getting healthier with her. We can keep each other focused.