I've recently started feeling a lot of anxiety about JJ's development. I hope that most people that know me would say I am pretty relaxed, calm, easy going person, but lately I don't feel like it. I have trouble hearing about other babies' habits and skills, because I am constantly thinking, "JJ isn't doing that yet! What is wrong with us?!" I think A LOT of it has to do, not with JJ's actual abilities or development, but with the fact that I am home with him now 100% of the time, and no longer work outside the home. In my former life, I had control over the results of my efforts--if I did something, it was done, and done well. But now, my work product is a person, with his own personality, time table, and agenda. So I feel that if he's not doing everything that all the other kids are, then it's somehow my fault that he's "behind". I know this is silly. JJ is a wonderful kid. He's smart, funny, and engaged. He "reads" books, he is nearly standing on his own, he claps, he's said both of our names. It's definitely not JJ that I think is not performing up to standards, it's me. And I know it's crazy. But just give this crazy mama some space to be crazy.
And how for a few pictures:
Before haircut:
After haircut! (The pictures of "during haircut" just looked like I was stabbing him in the head with scissors, so we deleted them).
I know what you mean. I think it's also because we're so excited to see them do new stuff, and grow and learn too. Even though I really do believe *when* kids reach the "milestones" is completely meaningless (Einstein didn't talk till he was 5), but with Killian, I did feel anxious even somewhat recently around his 2nd birthday, when I would hear other 2 year olds talk in complete sentences. And of course, he wasn't really behind, but I just really wanted to experience the magic of hearing him talk and express himself. But don't worry crazy mama - you and JJ are both awesome!
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