It’s been almost three weeks since I started saying, “Thad’s going to start crawling any day now! I’ll bet it’s tomorrow.” As you can imagine I’m still saying this, but this difference is that I’m more nonchalant about it. Don’t get me wrong, he has every opportunity to crawl, he’s just not ready or doesn’t want to. I let him hang out on the floor any chance we get. I give him things to play with or scoot after. An empty shoe box is his FAVE, right after the dogs of course.
Tonight Mark came home and asked me if I thought T-man should be crawling by now. And he asked it with real concern. Like Thad might be, god forbid, delayed. I calmly and cooly let him know that it was perfectly normal for him not to be crawling at this point, because sh*t, he was already waving, wasn’t he?!?
The mom I was 7 months ago would have been FREAKING OUT if I thought he needed to be at some developmental milestone that he hadn’t hit yet. What’s a girl supposed to do though? I was inundated with information from my BabyCenter My Baby app, websites and what other babies were doing. But my one word of advice that I heard a million times, but it honestly takes a few months to sink in, is that every baby is different.
Take Thad for example. He’s always been a “Skinny McKinney.” He steadily remains at the 5th percentile for weight. Where some babies are born at 11lbs, he barely reached 11 by 3.5 months. In the beginning this terrified me because he wasn’t a fat baby. But it’s beyond normal for him. Doctor Marc assured me over and over again that he wasn’t concerned. As long as he continued to gain weight at a steady pace we were good. He was also kind enough to let me bring Thad in weekly to be weighed (yes, I went this far and I was this obsessed).
So what if he’s not crawling when my App says he should be cruising? Who gives a rat’s bottom if he should be crawling from here to kingdom come? I, frankly, do not. I give him ample opportunity to crawl every day and maybe, must maybe, he just doesn’t want to yet. You ever think of that, App?!? When I look at him, he’s so almost there but he just won’t do it. But honestly, it’s more than fine for me because then my life will completely change.
Again.
Note: All these photos are from three weeks ago and his big milestones since then are being able to get back up to his bottom from laying down, scooting on his bottom is circles (for what appears to be no reason but pure enjoyment), and of course, WAVING.
Note to the note: I LOVE THIS KID!!
4 thoughts on “The “is my baby normal” syndrome”
Sarahjane Sacchetti
note to the note to the note: i love this kid and this kids mama! xoxo
Becki
Love your perspective and you’re so right – it does take a while for it to sink in that every kid is different. It’s so easy to get swept up in comparing your child to others and worrying about whether they are on track. I have to make a conscious effort not to worry too much and trust my instincts!
Kourtney
The waving is pretty damn awesome! I’m glad I got to see it first. 🙂 Love, love, love that boy.
I have my degree in child development, and one thing I know for sure is every child is completely different. You are right on!
Mark
I wasn’t that freaked out…. Thad’s dad….