One of these things is not like the other

I have many girlfriends that have babies. And being surrounded by all these babies makes me automatically compare my daughter's development to that of the other babies. Baby H is sitting up unassisted, why isn't Marlo? Baby L was teething by 5 months, why isn't Marlo? Baby C is feeding himself? Baby L is sleeping through the night? What is wrong with my kid!?!

I have to continually remind myself, as I have mentioned on the blog many times, Marlo was born 4 weeks early. And ever since she was born, we were told to think of her as a month younger than she actually was, or use her due date as her  "developmental age." But that does not stop me from comparing her to every other baby I know.

Before I had Marlo I would see other babies that weren't walking by a certain age and think "what is wrong with that kid?" or hear of a baby that was sleeping through the night at 4 months old and think "that is going to be my kid!" Little did I know that I would have no control over what my baby would do, and when she would do it.

And then once I had her, I started receiving the weekly "Your Baby This Week" emails and that is when the concern started to set in. I tell you right now - if you have a young baby and receive these emails (I was getting mine from babycenter.com) OPT OUT RIGHT NOW!! They will drive you insane.

"Your baby can follow you with his eyes!" - Negative
"By now, your baby is smiling at you!"- Nope!!
"Isn't it great that your baby can hold his own bottle!" - Not in this house!

With all the hurdles we have had to deal with (the constant spitting up, the helmet (more on that torture device to come in a separate post) and for the last 2 months I swear she has been teething, but so far nothing) combined with her adjusted age, I need to come to grips with the fact that she will probably develop a little slower than other babies...and I am totally fine with that. Right? Aren't I?

Just because Marlo isn't sitting up by herself yet, doesn't mean she won't get into Harvard when the time comes. And just because she isn't sleeping through the night it doesn't mean that she won't be playing professional tennis by the age of 15. It better not, or her father's hopes and dreams will be crushed!