I don't really compare Miss C to other kids. I learned that early on. It would make me crazy if I sat around and thought about why she isn't doing what so and so is doing or why she is doing something so and so isn't. I could easily do that with so many of my friends having little ones her age or close to it. But I enjoy my sanity.
Of course, it doesn't help if SP mentions something because then I start to worry. He did that recently with her speaking. I had never questioned her communication. I think she communicates well, though often not verbally. She "speaks" but it's often not anything we can understand...it's her own baby gibberish that I am sure means something very important to her.
That's not to say that she doesn't say things we understand, because she does. More, Cocker (for Copper), nose, eye, yes, no, shoe, mine, nana (for banana), muk (for milk) are very distinct words she uses. And there are words I have mentioned that we know what they mean but aren't real words, like "num-i-na" which is food. I see her trying to form the words like thank you which comes out tha and I watch her roll her tongue to try and say please.
The words are there and she understands pretty much everything we say to her. She just isn't reciting poetry or speaking hundreds of words. And most days I am ok with that. I am ok with the fact that when I say, come here and let's take your jacket off she walks over to me and tries to unzip her jacket. I am ok with the fact that if I say, have you pooped she will nod her head and say yeah. I am ok with the fact that if I say let's go to your room and get a book, she does. Or if I ask for a hug and kiss I get one.
I am ok with all of it, until my husband starts worrying me and I start fretting. I know he means well, but my brain starts going and I start looking shit up on the Internet and thinking I am not reading to her enough and am somehow screwing her up. Stupid Internet.
The reality is, she is perfectly wonderful in every way. She is amazingly bright and right on track. I would not want her any other way or to be like any other child. I am happy for those whose 16 month old can recite the Declaration of Independence and who are reading the New York Times, really, I am. But I'll take my girl and her num-i-na any day of the week.
2 comments:
You are an incredible mother and you are definitely reading too much into this. She does communicate very well and as long as you know what she needs and wants, that's all that matters at this point. It's easy to tell she is happy and courageous and intelligent so stop stressing yourself over nothing! She is a beautiful, wonderful baby.
It's totally normal to stress and I've found myself doing it too since a friend of ours daughter pretty much recites the Declaration of Independence like you said and she's only 10 wks older than RJ. I've actually read (and maybe it's in the article you post later since I've not yet had the chance to read it), that children who talk less at this age and explore more physically end up gathering more information and being smarter kidos . . . so yep it's best to just encourage them where they are and keep doing what you're doing I think (or this is what I've come to realize). . . just like us adults, all babies learn differently but we all get the tasks accomplished all the same (well most of us - hee!)!! So, you are a super Mommy . .. stop worrying, relax and just be yourself and Ms. C will be EXCEPTIONAL!!!
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