Milestones

When you have a baby you pay close attention to those expected milestones. When your baby isn't meeting those milestones when expected you start to drive yourself crazy with worry. Being an infant toddler teacher and working with young children with developmental delays, I know just enough to be dangerous! Morgan was a late walker at 16 months. But boy was she a talker. She was a toe walker from the beginning and still is. We have seen an orthopedic surgeon, orthotist and a physical therapist. According to the PT she has a sensitive nervous system, which could have been the cause of her late walking and toe walking. We have come to understand that Morgan is just Morgan, quirks and all and we love her the way she is. But, it takes a special Mommy and Daddy to work with a special, complicated girl like Morgan! She is a joy to have as our daughter and teaches us about the little things in life. Having a sensitive nervous system (if that is what it is) has also caused her to be sensitive to the world around her and take notice to those little details that we, as adults, frequently miss. I read in a book once "To have an exceptional child you must be willing to have an exceptional child." This is something we need to remind ourselves. With that being said, we have been waiting and waiting for Ava to meet those expected milestones. When you have a second child it is hard not to compare that second child with the first. Ava has a completely different personality than Morgan did at that age. I am not sure that she is going to be classified as the "Highly Sensitive Child" that Morgan is, but I am sure she will prove to us over and over that she too is an exceptional child! She too was an early talker. At 13 months she is saying "mama, dada, eat, tookie (cookie), dink, woof woof, baby, bubby (bunny), ball, eieio, mimi (Morgan), bye bye, and hi". And today.......she finally took her FIRST STEP!!!! She has been pulling herself up since she was 6 months old. I thought for sure that she would be an early walker, but no luck. Now finally, after months of waiting, the infamous walking milestone has almost been met!! I am soooo excited, yet when we think of the big scheme of things does it really matter? She is a happy and healthy little girl and that is all that matters! But, as the Mommy I can't help but get excited over those expected milestones. As the infant toddler specialist I can't help but being a little relieved that she continues to meet those milestones when they are expected. Only time will tell what kind of exceptional child she will be :-)

On a sad note, many of you know that I work with children under age three that have developmental delays. I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of exceptional children and families. Many of those children have life long challenges that they are facing, however they continue to progress and teach us so many things about what it means to live life to the fullest. Right now, a child that I work with is in the hospital fighting to survive. She has many medical complications and has come down with pneumonia. It is hard thinking about what her family must be going though right now and how I would feel if I were in their position. This little girl is truly an exceptional little girl and has touched my heart in so many ways. Please keep her in your prayers and hope that she recovers quickly and is able to come home soon.