With DJ, my pregnancy was textbook. As textbook as it could get.
After he was born, we were the overly eager, overbearing parents that tracked milestones (yes, feel free to shake your head at us).
DJ never accomplished things when he was supposed to.
He did everything earlier.
He sat unsupported at 3 months. He crawled at 6 months. He walked at 8.5 months (we were robbed, I tell ya!).
When Cody was born, we didn’t know what to anticipate for milestones. We expected delays, but weren’t sure what kind.
We didn’t mind.
Don’t mind the head shadow or the fact that I used a flash. This was my wannabe photographer days. :)
The delays allowed us to enjoy the baby days longer. We enjoyed the parent-dependent moments that DJ robbed us of. :)
Cody crawled at 12 months and walked at 18 months.
We celebrated those milestones as if they deserved cake and a party!
We continue to celebrate those milestones no matter how big or small because you know what? He works hard for them.
He might not read at the level he is supposed to.
He doesn’t speak the way a typical 7 year old does.
He has a hard time snapping buttons on his pants because his hand muscles are weak.
But so what?
Milestone are guidelines that aren’t set in stone and it took us awhile to learn that.
Cody works hard to reach milestones and he does it at HIS pace.
We’re fine with that.
Honestly, there are moments when we sometimes wish he had more intelligibility when he speaks. There are times when I wish some things weren’t hard for him.
In those moments, we just have to remind ourselves that he IS capable. He is determined. He learns at his own pace. He WILL do it.
As much as possible, I try not to look at milestone charts. It’s a reminder of what he isn’t doing when I want to focus on what he IS doing.
And he’s doing a lot!
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