Milestones and Comparisons

I've heard it more often than I want..."How old is he? Can he talk? Can he walk? Can he say his name? Can he recognize people?" WHOA! Slow down, I have a 13-month-old, not a senior citizen! What's wrong with you people?

I've been looking through tons of baby/toddler websites and I know by now that tots grow up very differently even though they live in the same area. Let's take D as an example...he's about to hit his 14th month in a couple of days and he just loves to be all around the place! I read him books (well, he has a favorite book) and he loves to play with his blocks and puzzles and all sorts of toys. He likes to stand more than walking, and if he does walk...he'd rather do it when he's on top of our mattress, knowing that if he'd fall flat on his bum, it's soft (smart kid!). He has tons of syllables in his vocabulary but a complete word is uttered by accident and happens once in a blue moon. He has his mood swings and will definitely let the world know how he feels. He just hit his 9-kg mark on the scale on his last pedia visit and is still cheerfully breastfeeding whenever he wants to. He eats three full meals a day (and more snacks in between) and loves to try new food, as long as he can take the taste. His eyes beam whenever he sees the most familiar faces (me, L, Yaya, Lolo, Lola and Tita J). He adores it whenever he is near our dogs, Spark and Sam, and would love to pull their tail if he had the chance. He knows that crawling is a faster way of getting to what he wants than walking. He loves it when the faucet is turned on and we have to wash his bum. He points out to whatever he wants us to bring him and will let us know if it's the right thing.

For this wonderful little dude, he is slowly and surely learning his way around the world. He's unlike any other tot in the world and I wouldn't change that. Should I worry that he insists in crawling rather than walking? Nope, he'll find his footing in the world. Should I worry that he hasn't uttered words yet? Nope, he'll soon mutter them nonstop once he has found his syllables. Should I worry that he's choosy with people? Nope, he recognizes faces and beams when he knows them.

I've learned (the hard way) that I cannot push D to be just like any other tot because he's not like any other tot. I can't compare him to his peers and I can't force him to fit in to the "standard" when he has his own way and footing in the world. I love it that he's teaching me the one lesson that I've learned myself, "Why do I need to fit in when I am born to stand out and be a different person?"

Yes D, I understand. And I will try my best to keep that in mind. You are your own being and you are your own person. And I will be as patient as I can be with myself and my expectations so that I can give you the best that the world has to offer. I trust that you will learn how the world works and you will also teach me how you are as a being in this world.