Height Stick Time

When we were growing up my grandfather would mark our height on his wood paneled wall. In permanent marker. He was that kind of guy. Years later my grandparents moved into a nursing home and someone else bought the house, someone who surely didn't care and didn't care to see how tall Pete was at age nine or Joel at age three. Gone.

I had been marking the heights of my children in pencil in the doorway of the kitchen, knowing that it could be painted over without much trouble, even though reading the competing height so four kids was becoming a challenge. Then we bought a new house. Hmmm. A burst of inspiration birthed THE HEIGHT STICK!

Rip one 2X4 in a 2X2 about six or so feet long, longer if your last name is Tennepal or Hollman or you think your kids might one day play for the NBA. I transferred their heights to the stick, boys on one side, girls on another, adults on #3.

Which is all to say that every six months I measure the kids and am always surprised that they consistently grow about an inch every six months. We've GOT to stop feeding them. But this time around my oldest grew a whopping 2 3/4" in six months. YIKES! Is that even possible? Well, dorky me kept records of my own growth and I recall a similar "inch every two months" spurt around his age. Someday I'll chart and analyze their growth. That's just the way I roll.

In case you're wondering, using the attached height chart they are all still on track for how they measured six months ago. I won't spoil the fun by telling you how tall each is predicted to grow... you'll just have to check back in ten years.

Also yes, the photo above has been professionally photoshopped to remove red-eye, a few pant stains, and peeking underpants.

THIS JUST IN: Tessa just blew away the competition with a full FOUR INCHES of growth in the last six months.