Ben has a DI half-brother and a DI half-sister (there was also a 4th pregnancy but I am not certain of the outcome. I asked the other moms to fill out a little questionnaire so we could see if there were any commonalities and I thought you would be interested.
I tried to color code the responses but typepad won't keep the colors. The answers are in order of Ben : Girl (Estella) : Boy
Statistics
Birth weight 9 lbs, 10 oz : 8 lbs, 3 oz. : 8 lbs, 10 oz.
Current weight 22.2 lbs (1 yr) : 23 lbs (11 mo) : 22 lbs (11 mo)
Birth length 21 1/2" : 21" : 20 1/2"
Current length 30 1/4" : 32" : 29"
Current shoe size 5 : 5 : 6
Physical Traits
Eye color Brown but do look gray in the right light : Green : Deep blue
Hair color Light brown : I think blonde? It's hard to tell : Dark brown
How much hair? Very fine hair so it looks like he doesn't have much : Very little on top, curly in the back : Lots and getting long!
Overall coloring Quite fair. He was very yellow when he was born, though, so the doctor's were convinced he was jaundiced even though his billi numbers were normal. : Medium skin tone : Started off more olive but lost some of that. We'll see when summer comes.
Birthmarks? Stork bite at his nape : One birthmark on her leg : Small one on back of head close to the neck
If so, do they run in your family? Yes, on my mother's side : Not that I know of : My nephew has one in the same spot
Is there a family resemblance? He strongly favors my father's side of the family : People say she looks a lot like me : Strong resemblance to me (mom)
Personality
How would you describe your LO's personality? Ben is very out-going and inquisitive. Everyone has always commented on how alert he is, even when he was a newborn. He is also very determined! He also dislikes men with facial hair but loves the ladies! : Estella is very outgoing! She loves chasing after other kids. She is friendly with everyone. She loves laughing, smiling and amusing others. I am very reserved ... I'm told I was outgoing at Estella's age. : He is outgoing and playful around family. Around strangers or large crowds he tends to observe for awhile and if he feels comfortable then he'll play. If not, he'll act shy and hide his head. He is super easy going! He tends to take off my dad's side of the family, very laid back but playful when comfortable.
What is your LO's favorite toy? food? game? Ben loves balls of any type. He really likes fruit but he also enjoys stronger flavors. He was eating tomatoes at 8 months. : Estella's favorite "toys" are anything she isn't supposed to play with. She doesn't really have a favorite toy. Estella eats anything. She loves yogurt, cheese, banana, spaghetti, and salmon. The most unusual food Estella eats is pickles. : Favorite toy: puppy that sings songs and talks to him. Game: row, row, row your boat... and he rows his own boat! ha ha! Food: peas - nothing unusual to eat.
Other
Any allergies? No allergies No food allergies None that we know of
Does s/he tolerate dairy? No problems Tolerates dairy very well Seems fine with it, we just started introducing it
What does s/he think of animals? Ben loves animals! He just wishes they would hold still so he could play with them more. : Estella loves animals! LOVES our animals! : He cracks up anytime we help him pet the cat/dog nicely!
Does s/he like water? Ben LOVES water! If you just mention "bath", he will drop what he is doing and run for the bathroom. : Loves water! : Loves that also! He loves baths, showers, and we've done a swim class that he enjoyed too.
When did s/he begin walking? Ben began walking at 11 months : About 11 months. : He doesn't even crawl, he rolls, ha ha! He'll roll to where he wants to get and sit up and play (make a mess) then get down and roll to the next fun thing.
How does s/he sleep? Ben sleeps best on his belly, always has. He will sleep through the night but naps have always been a little more tricky. Overall, he sleeps less than other babies. He also have a very strong sense of time. He is up every morning second before our alarm rings. : Estella doesn't sleep well. She is still up for a bottle at least once every night. She also wakes and cries several times each night. She usually sleeps on her stomach, but frequently rolls around. : He has always been and continues to be a great sleeper. He goes to bed around 7:30-8 pm and I have to wake him in the morning at 7 am. I put him down on his side, give him his pacifier (bed is the only time he takes it) and cover his legs up. He usually pulls the blanket up and cuddles with it while he curls up to sleep. He will roll and sleep on his back or tummy, no preference.
I know that a lot of prospective DI parents are worried that their children will be just like the donor and not fit in with their family but that certainly doesn't seem to be the case here. All of these children are very much like their family. There are some commonalities but they seem to be pretty random. Also, these three kids look absolutely nothing alike. You may see Estella here. The other boy's mother would like to remain anonymous but he doesn't look like the other two, either (for one thing, he actually has hair!)
