My kid really is normal! :-)

One of the most exciting things about being a mom is watching your kids hit all those milestones.  Rolling over, crawling, walking for the first time are things that not only show your kid is developing normal but also meeting the social standards of development.  There are time frames for all of these things. I dont know who exactly decided these time frames but its like a deadline your kid must meet to still be considered "normal". So if your kid hits six months and still isnt rolling over...YIKES....

People ask...Oh is he/she crawling yet....and if they aren't you get the raised eyebrows...look of concern....and a pat on the shoulder as they say..."dont worry Im sure they'll catch up soon".  Umm...thanks lady but I wasnt worried until you said that....now Im secretly sort of freaking out. 


My kids...God love'em...they left me in freak out mode many many times concerning their milestones. Jackson rolled over at 1 month.  I thought....Sweet we have an advanced baby here! Genius in the making! But then that was it...he didnt do anything after that FOREVER.  The boy rolled everywhere but refused to crawl until he was 10 months old....then wouldnt walk until he was 17 months old. The day he finally took his first steps was so exciting for me...but all I got from everyone else was....Oh Good...I thought something was really wrong with him.  Umm...thanks again...good to know the world thought my kid had issues. 

Now you would think that after Jack's incredibly slow progression in hitting milestones that I would be used to all of that by now.  Well Layla has proved to be a whole different beast.  She is hands down the most stubborn child.  She rolled over front to back just fine right around three months....but then would act stuck when on her back like she had no idea what to do.  This lasted for a very  very long time.  Now dont get me wrong....the crab on its back thing was awesome when I had to do things like unload groceries. She was literally stuck.   She would arch her back and scream but wouldnt roll over. At first this wasnt concerning but at almost nine months and still acting like a freaking fish out of water on her back...I started to freak out.  FINALLY at almost 10 months old she rolled over back to front.

At this point I had very low expectations for hitting other milestones within the "normal" range.  Crawling came at 11 months and she was a pro. Fastest crawler Ive ever seen.  Her poor knees have been purple ever since.  So...everything was fine....until she hit one years old.  At that point everywhere we would go people would ask...is she walking yet? Nope...no she is not.  13 months....Still not walking. 14 months....No no....shes STILL not walking.  "Are you worried"....not yet thanks.  Then we got to her 15month doc appointment.  Her pediatrician gave me a deadline. She had to be walking by 18monhts or we would be discussing physical therapy. PT!! Thats for disabled and hurt kids! I HAD to get this kid walking.

At this point too people stopped asking and just would either laugh and say "That kid will never walk" or if they did ask it was with deep concern.  Come on people! This does not make an already paranoid mommy feel any better.  Within the family it became a joke. Bets were made that she wouldnt walk before she was two.  Layla was so dang stubborn that if someone besides us would try to hold her hands she would go limp and refuse to bear weight on her legs. At home her favorite toy became her walker.  I call her my little old lady because she takes this thing everywhere.  It was the only way she would walk.

Here is the video....WARNING BABY NUDITY INVOLVED....

So let me stop and say. At this point....at 17 months when the naked video was shot...she would stand unsupported by herself.  But she only did these things for her daddy.  If I asked her to walk she would shake her head and say NO NO NO.  And forget anyone else....except Jason. He has never missed a milestone because she refuses to do anything for anyone except him.  Talk about an extreme case of Daddy's lil' girl!

So we have literally 6 days left until she hits that 18month milestone.  And wouldnt you know....last night as Im walking out of Jacksons room from tucking him into bed...there she is...with her daddy....WALKING by herself down the hall.  I was so excited and happy and relieved I cried.  So today...all day....I tried to repeat this amazing feat.  All I got were NO NO NOs.  Then...as soon as daddy gets home...that little stinker stands up and walks and this time I have the proof!. I got it on video for all to see so even when she refuses for everyone except daddy....I have evidence. :) My girl is normal!! Horray!! No physical therapy for us Doctor Jones. We may be slow...but we have successfully hit all those pesky milestones. :)