Transparency Tuesday: Textbook children

When you were pregnant did you ever find yourself googling everything...

From childbirth.. to when the baby's born.. first words, first poo.. hiccups.. sleeping.. EVERYTHING.

I did.

I read about when babies first walk, weaning, teething.. anything you can think of I've googled it.

So when I had my first child, Jeremiah.. he pretty much was 'by the book', he was a little quick with certain things-- he weaned a little early, and he had all of his teeth by 6 months. (YES. no lie. And I didn't even know when he was teething.. his teeth just kept appearing)
He had his first steps around 9 months..

But talking. Talking delayed a little. His first coherent word I can't even remember.. to be honest. Does that make me a bad mother?
That I don't remember my child's first word?

But really.. he did a lot of baby babble.. and I can remember he would say one or two words and then wouldn't say it again.
Talking is only now coming and he's 3 years old.

But according to health visitors, etc... there's a delay-- or there might be something wrong.

I remember googling about talking.. they usually say by the time they're one they should be saying small words like 'bye' 'mama' etc..

He wasn't doing this. He would babble but to say mama I never heard him say it.

It really concerned me... especially when I had to go see Jeremiah's health visitor for his 2 year review.. and he failed it.

But fast forward to now.. Jeremiah has progressed a lot and he has a good chunk of words in his vocabulary. We're working on talking in sentences.. because he will just say a word like 'Car" or 'Hello' or 'Mummy' But he won't say 'Bye Mummy', so as he's getting the words.. I'm trying to encourage him to speak in small phrases.. and we build up on that.
I know he will be talking properly very soon.
It just goes to show that as much as you google or read all the books.. you never know what to expect because every child is different.

With my second.. talking was not his problem. lol

It was walking. Because Jeremiah walked so early.. when Matthew was reaching 1.. and he wasn't walking.. I started to quietly panic.

He walked at 17 months.

And the way he walks, you wouldn't think he delayed in walking. This goes to show that every child DOES NOT  go by 'the book', there is no way you can 'estimate' or 'plan' a child's first word, or when they're gonna walk.. or whatever the case maybe.

For the mama's to be... it's good to read the books and be prepared mentally-- but if you find your child isn't meeting a particular milestone according to the books or what the health visitors say.. don't be concerned. I'm not saying don't ignore what they say, but don't let them scare you and make you feel as if something is wrong with your child-- at the end of the day God has put something in us called intuition.. and you will know.

Keep it up mama's, you're doing great.