Milestone madness

    This time I am not going to buy into it. This time I am not going to read the monthly what your baby should be doing emails from Baby Center. I am going to put away the "What to Expect the First Year" baby book. I will not compare my baby to anyone else's baby. I will be honest with my pediatrician about what my baby is and is not doing (for the most part). This time. The third time. I am just going to enjoy this year and not buy into this milestone madness because I know by now after doing this already that every baby does things in their own time and in the grand of scheme of things the timing doesn't really matter.

Ahhhh but so and so's baby is smiling. I guess Ry smiles. I mean he does he smiles, but are they just reflex smiles or real I find you funny smiles? I will have to pay more attention to what is going on with that smile.

Ok he is definitely smiling purposefully. Whew. From this point on I will not worry over these silly things. Ry is perfectly healthy. I know that. I am going to enjoy that. Hmmmm what's that mark on his leg? Has that always been there? I think it has. It must have been. Did it just get darker? Well whatever it is it can wait until his next well visit which is on the 22nd. Oh god the 22nd is so far off. Maybe we can go sooner. Hi... this is this Rylan's mom we have an appointment for the end of the month but he has this weird mark on his leg and I'm not sure what it is and I would really feel better if we could just get it looked at... no rush though. Okay when would you like to come in? Ummmm let me see. I can be there in 15 minutes if you can squeeze us in. Aaaaaand just what I suspected (by suspected I mean secretly feared it was something more)! It's a birth mark. That totally could have waited. Ugh why do I do this to myself?!

Okay he's smiling, engaging and babbling. Right on social target. That little spot that only I can see is a birth mark. We are good to go. So let's go. Let go get out some toys he can sit and play with on the floor. He's now 7 months old. He loves toys that have bright colors. Oh and the ones that make noises. I love that little face he makes every time the toy makes a sound. Almost like he surprised it did that even if it's the hundredth time. We will just sit you right here.... woops maybe this way is easier since you seem to be kinda flopping over like that. Okay nope. Not this way either. Oh my god he can not sit up on his own unassisted! But the email that I didn't read said in the subject "your baby is 6 months and sitting unassisted". Why aren't we sitting unassisted? Should I be concerned. Don't freak out. Let's ask on the "mommy group" board if anyone else's baby isn't doing this either. I'm sure we aren't the only ones. Log in. First picture to fill up my computer screen with the caption "look who's sitting by herself?!" Shit. Maybe we are the only ones. Don't freak out! Do. not. freak. out! This is the only time we even attempted sitting up. Practice makes perfect. We will try a little while everyday and I am sure by the end of the week he will have the hang of it. If by then no progress I will call the doctor. Or maybe I could just shoot her a text. No. It's not an emergency I can wait the week. I can wait the week. I can wait the week. I can wait the week! I. will. wait. the. week. But she did say call with any questions.

The milestone madness!!!! It drives me crazy! I try not to let it. My first baby was what I now call the over achiever. He did everything early. Of course because he is a genius. A brilliant little babe walking and talking well before his time. My little baby Einestein. Clearly capable of achieving all of these milestones early because of my stellar parenting. I was that awful gloating obnoxious my baby is smarter than yours mom. I have no patience for that mom anymore. Because after my over achiever I had Seark. Seark is my I will do it when I am ready baby. And Seark was not ready to walk until well after his first birthday opposed to Aidan who was running around the house at 11 months. Seark had me questioning his hearing and whether or not he needed speech therapy when he didn't utter a single word until he was 2 years and 7 months old! Why?! Why wasn't Seark doing things early, or even on time. I will take on time. On time is perfect. Or even a little late. A little late would be awesome. No. Seark was on Seark's schedule not mine and I needed to adjust. And you know what I read Seark all the same books. Held him up and helped him get around the house. Put things out of his reach to motivate him to go get them. I did all the same things that I did with Aidan. Does this mean it wasn't my fantastical mom skills that got Aidan doing it all early?! Not possible. Or absolutely possible and true. As parents all we can do is give our babies the tools they will need to grow but it is totally up to them when they will decide to use them. And after all I never wanted the smartest baby on the block just happiest and of course healthy. Rylan is in no rush to show up his peers. He is happy. He is healthy. He will get where he is going in his own time. I need to sit back and enjoy the journey. Take it with him not push him through. I need to stop worrying. Stop comparing. Stop reading. Stop harassing my pediatrician. STOP GOOGLING. I need to remember that when it comes to milestones my kids are in the driver seat and I am just a cheerleader along for the ride.