Milestones (31 for 21 post 12)

I have a confession to make.  I don't care how long it takes Reagan to hit milestones.  I've never compared any of my kiddos to any sort of standard when it comes to achievements.  That is not to say that I'm not excited when they learn something new, I jump and cheer with the best of them.  That is also not to say that I'm not interested in what others' kids are achieving.  I "compare" just as a point of interest, it is interesting to see what different kids do at different ages.  Perhaps being a teacher for so long hard wired me into not expecting people to travel at the same pace.  That's good because I have never once had even a moment of sorrow about Reagan's slower development.  (Actually I love that I get to savor the slower pace and really help her instead of wondering how she went from sleeping to walking seemingly overnight)  It's actually really interesting to "compare" my children.

Three girls.  All three breastfed.  Reagan (who by all rights should have had trouble) was the best at it and has lasted the longest.  She is also my best eater by far, despite the fact that she only has two-going on-four teeth.

Clarisse crawled at 7 months, walked at 11 months signed 4 signs between 6-12 months and had a 100 word vocabulary by 14-16 months.  Cadence crawled at 6 months, but didn't walk until she was 14 months old.  She picked up 3 signs around 12 months and had a 20 word vocabulary for most of her second year.  She still lisps and is a lazy talker.  You couldn't get much more diversity in milestone achievement than those two.  And Reagan?  Well she fits right in there too.  Somethings she excels at and others she's slower.  That's what makes her Reagan.  Oh...you want to know what she's doing?  Ok fine I'll brag if you insist. :)  Reagan says 3 words (well I say its 2 since its not fair she says DaDa and not Mama so I say she's not really saying Daddy : p).  Her first word was duck.  She waves and says byebye, and of course Daddy.  She picked up her fourth sign today and is giving every indication that she will be picking up new signs on an almost daily basis now!  She is actually really good at signing even if she isn't using "real" signs.  She points and waves and grabs our hands and moves them until we understand what she's trying to tell us.  She is a much better communicator than Cadence was at this age.

She is sitting up and just today learning how to push herself up to sitting from her belly.  She is inchworming everywhere.  She drives her big sisters nuts chasing them all over the house while they are trying to play a big girl game.

 She is going to crawl any second. (ok not literally any second, she is asleep right now)  She will pull up to standing holding on to our hands and has very strong legs.  And she LOVES, loves, loves to play music.  Her little piano and her drum and xylophone.

 I have never seen a child with such an aptitude for music this young, and I'm a music teacher!  Watching her learn and grow each day never gets old, and I love cheering her on...oh yeah she loves clapping for herself now too when Mama tells her good job. :)

P.S. Reagan is excited to welcome to the world her newest cousin born this morning.  Congratulations Baby Kaia on achieving your first milestone: being born!  Welcome to the world sweetheart. :)