A Texas woman thought she would be having a normal second child, but he grew up differently. People were always shocked when they found out thIn April 2023, Salitza Richard, 31, and her family’s story got the media’s attention. The Dallas, Texas woman was interviewed about her son, Xaylen Asher Richard, who was 19 months old but looked way bigger!
The child’s mother confessed that she was worried about the boy’s health because of how fast he’d grown after his birth. When Xaylen was six months old, his mother realized he could only fit into baby clothes made for 12 to 18-month-old children.The toddler was big enough to fit into and share his brother Judah Xander’s clothes. The boy’s older brother was already four, and the shocking way Xaylen fit in his clothes was a contradiction to the typical eight-pounder Xaylen was when he was born.
Salitza, an athlete trainer, compared her youngest son to a “happy bowling ball.” Although she worried about his health, she joked that the long period it took Xaylen to walk and his size gave her a bigger bicep!
Sports teams had already started scouting the boy whose mother knows would be very tall when he’s older. She said it was “insane” how fast her son grew, and each time they visited the doctor, he went over the 100 percentile.The mother of two shared that people would question how she, a mere 5’4, and her husband, Josiah Richard, 5’9, could have such a big child. Salitza, who already anticipates her son would be taller than them, also revealed how the doctor doubted Xaylen was their child during his two-week check-up:
“She asked us if we were sure we had the right baby, as he always looked older for his age.”
Salitza admits she worries for her child, wondering how healthy it was for him to be as huge as he was. However, everything seemed perfect, and the Richards didn’t expect to run into issues because of his size.
The Challenges of Raising a Child Who’s Growing Faster than Normal
Judah was always in the lower percentile, unlike his brother, so he and his younger brother would wear the same size in clothes. Salitza revealed that she constantly had to go up a clothing size and swap items, stating:
“The rate he is growing is nuts.”
Xaylen’s mother said he wore clothes made for six-month-old children when he was one month old. By the time he was three months old, he was wearing six to nine months, and when he reached six months, he wore 18-month items. At 19 months, the little boy wore clothes made for three-year-olds.
The trainer believes her son’s size contributed to his delay in walking, though he has recently started walking and running around and loving it!
Judah began walking when he was ten months old while his younger brother managed the same feat at 18 months. Salitza didn’t look forward to going out with her son when he couldn’t walk because she had to carry him, something she couldn’t do for long as it became too much.
Xaylen learned to walk overnight. He just started taking a few steps and was running a few days later. People thought the boy was older than he was because of how heavy he was, weighing 31 pounds, while his older brother weighed only a pound more!
The mother of two also revealed how Judah was run over by his younger brother, and he ended up crying instead of Xaylen. Salitza described her youngest child as a “happy baby” who is most pleased and “chill” when given food.
She shared how he ate a lot and anything because he wasn’t picky. He would mow down whatever his brother didn’t finish and still want more. Their friends and other people were shocked by how big Xaylen was because of how small Judah was at that age.Strangers always commented on how big the boy was, and Salitza agreed with them because she was also shocked by her son’s size. She’d explain that she and her husband didn’t know why he was growing the way he was but were going with it.
Judah and his younger brother, who looked smaller then, were still relatively young.Regardless of Xaylen’s unusual size, the couple enjoys how different he is. Salitza recalled a holiday trip where she was stopped and asked to buy her youngest son a seat ticket because they didn’t believe he was younger than one. The boy, who could be a football player in the future, wasn’t allowed to sit on his mother’s lap because they believed he was two or older.
How Xaylen Looks Now Compared to Judah
On March 13, 2023, Salitza celebrated Judah’s fourth birthday, which they enjoyed spending as a family. She shared Instagram photos of his Disney-themed party, where Xaylen appeared alongside his brother in two images, and it was clear he would be taller than Judah in no time!
The little boy was also chubbier than his older brother. Judah, who matched T-shirts with his family, got to play on an inflatable with other children, had some birthday cake, and even posed for photos.
For this year’s Mother’s Day celebrations, Salitza shared a picture of her pregnant and cradling her baby bump while standing next to her mother, Mae. She revealed that Mae had been a blessing in her life.
The mother of two thanked Mae for what she has done for her and her willingness to continue doing things for her and her family before declaring her love. The second image showed Salitza with two other older women besides her mother.
Despite the issues faced by the family due to Xaylen’s weight, on March 1, 2022, Josiah uploaded an Instagram photo of the whole family and revealed how “grateful” he was for them. The family looked happy as they posed in front of a fireplace.
Judah and his younger brother, who looked smaller then, were still relatively young. They appeared in denims and white T-shirts with the same design, but it was evident that Xaylen was a bit heavier than expected as his mother seemed to be straining as she carried him.
Xaylen celebrated his second birthday last month with a Baby Shark-themed birthday party. His mother shared a family photo from the big day with the caption, “Xaylen Shark Two two two.” The family posed in front of a blue balloon garland and a Baby Shark poster. Salitza carried her two-year-old son, and the father had Judah while they all wore matching T-shirts.Salitza also commemorated her youngest son’s birthday with a video showing different adorable moments of Xaylen, from when he started walking, getting his first haircut, and more. The proud mother wrote:
“This past year has been filled with so much growth and adventures! We love you more than you could ever understand! Keep being YOU birthday boy”
The video also gave viewers a glimpse into the special bond that Judah and his younger brother share. The brothers were seen holding hands, having fun on a splash pad together, playing in the rain, and more.