My child is stubbornly will powered by his own agenda and timeline and I am writing all this out to remind myself that I am a good parent, and that it is normal when I am feeling defeated about a situation I can’t control . I have committed to doing my best at allowing my child to just be himself and figure things out when he is ready. I am almost certain as to where he inherited this stubborn trait, and As time goes on he is only going to develop more and more into someone who I will love, yet not always agree with or understand. I can handle his anger toward me when he doesn’t get his way, I’d much rather be his parent first and then his friend. Okay so where am I getting at?Truthfully, my son is a lot like his dad; Determined, self-taught, extremely loving, persistent, openly passionate about the things he is good at, hands on, willing to learn anything, but only at his own pace, and not going to conform to what the world says he should do or should not do (refusing to call neither my husband nor myself Mama and dada) This kid is making leaps and bounds, but not the same ones your kid may be, everything is on his own terms, and I’m just trying to sit back and watch him grow and develop in his own unique way.
EJ is 2 and as much as I would prefer not to answer people when they ask “Is he talking yet?”, I reply anyway with “no he’s not quite talking yet” in the moment though, I have to also insert that he is yet, quite intelligent. His memory seems almost photographic and the language he speaks is very expressive, just not comprehensive. He “speaks” with a matter of fact tone when explaining or asking us something. And I love that he understands and does anything I ask of him. He can point to any color, shape, object, animal, motorized vehicle in a book when we ask “where it is” and he knows so many sounds that animals make, even an alligator, which is impressive because we only told him once.
So no, He is not taking as much as your average 2 year old right now, but he’s working through speech therapy and he is going to start being around more kids his age, so it is my hope and prayer that his speech starts to transform into something we can understand more of. And to answer the most pressing question, yes it can be frustrating that we can’t always understand what he wants or that when he wants me, he points at me, and refuses to call me Mama. I know I’ll cry the day he calls me by that title. Sometimes I worry, and I let the enemy creep in and I start to think something serious is wrong with his speech, but a good constant reminder that he is exactly where he needs to to be, are his several other skilled abilities and his comprehension of what we ask of him. While a speech delay is said to be more common, The interesting thing about EJ is that he will say a word one time, praise himself, but then just refuses to repeat the word a second time, like it is some kind of trick game he is playing on us. And if I’m being honest, I don’t think there is anything wrong with his mental ability, I think he’s actually going to knock our socks off in the next couple of months, but I do know he is different. He is Different in the most beautiful way a mother could possibly want for her child. I really do try my best to see the world the way that he may see it. I want to always know what his little brain is thinking, and for now it will be a mystery. In a few months I will be back here, writing about how he won’t stop taking my ear off. I just have this feeling he’s coming for me and I know he is going to expect my full attention. He has already changed my world. And now I’m just waiting to see how he continues to change the world around him.
Still a good mom 