I tend to get stressed out about things very far in advance. It isn’t healthy, but it happens, and I doubt that I’m the only person that feels it.
My latest stress stems off Dekker’s one year appointment to get his shots. As I mentioned in a previous post, it was actually a great appointment. The nurse was warm and helpful, and I didn’t leave feeling like I didn’t have enough love or skills to raise my son. One thing she mentioned to us casually was regarding his 18 month appointment. She said “We’ll do a speech test at his next visit. Just so you know, we hope to hear 25-30 words.” She added that they didn’t need to be real words, more like “daw” for “dog.” But I mean…um…what?!?! I guess my surprise showed because she assured me that once he started, it would be impossible to make it stop, and that he would just talk and talk. I would love to have my son talk relatively early. His talking is something I’ve been looking forward to actually! He hasn’t formed specific words, but he knows who mamamamama and dadadadada are. However, now that there is some sort of “timeline” attached to his speech, it is making this beautiful development into a source of stress for me! What if he doesn’t have 30 words in the next 5.5 months? What if he doesn’t have 10? What if he still only knows mama and dada?
Well if that’s the case, then he just isn’t talked yet! He will. I have to relax a bit more about some of these things, and I know that. I guess it just stems from being a parent for the first time. I want to do everything right, and I think I have some inner fear that someone will tell me I’m doing something horribly wrong if Dekker isn’t forming full sentences in the next few weeks! Exaggeration, I know, but you get my point. So much pressure!! No, he’s not walking, talking, or feeding himself with a spoon. But he’s so happy, playful, interactive, healthy, and smart. He knows who mom and dad are, even grandma and grandpa. He claps and gives high fives. He is very good at learning. He can keep a beat! I need to remember, on top of all of these facts and proofs that Dekker is developing at a good rate, that God is in control, and Dekker is exactly how God wants him. And exactly how I want him too! Why rush him to grow up so fast? I love that he’s still got some “baby” in him! I have been blessed to be able to stay at home with him right now, so he doesn’t have to develop at warp speed at match the other kids at daycare. I LOVE him exactly how he is!
Cheers to my son, growing up on his own time! *raising my coffee cup*