Two and a Half!

The other day I joined a couple other moms for a Mommy & Me" group session! I have been invited to these in the past, but I have always hesitated because Zachariyah is so full of energy! I was apprehensive about how he would react in a new environment! Needless to say, he was not at all interested in sitting in a circle to sing songs or any arts and crafts!! All he wanted to do was run around and check everything out! Typical little boy! Later that day the lady who hosted the mommy and me called my to tell me she felt that Zachariyah needed intervention and therapy!! I had told her during the session that he had little to no experience in these situations or playing with children his own age( there were no children his own age there anyway, only babies like Eliana), but she felt it was more than that and I should call ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) since they help children with developmental delays!! I was astounded that after 1 hour with Zachariyah she felt she could make an accurate assessment of him!! I mean, she has only met Zachariyah a handful of times and these were always very brief encounters! This was the first time she has seen him for an extended period of time! She has never seen Zachariyah in his OWN environment where he is comfortable! I wondered how could she possibly feel her observations were valid!! I was very upset by the phone call and spent the rest of the afternoon feeling like somehow I had failed as a mother! Zachariyah is a wonderful little boy!! He hit all his physical milestones quickly! Rolling over, scooting, crawling, cruising and walking!! When it came to talking however, I will say that when you compare him to other children his age he would probably be considered to be behind them! For a while I was concerned over his lack of vocabulary and I even asked his pediatrician if he could have autism...even though as his mother I KNEW he didn't!! Which the test they had me do proved!! His doctor recommend the possibility of speech therapy...but I decided to give him some time! We intensified our own communication with him. Reading to him more, always telling him what everything was and what we were doing! Repeatedly asking him questions and encouraging verbal response!! I had multiple family members tell me to not worry too much...that all children develop differently and he would talk soon!! Sure enough..right at about 2 & 1/2 he started picking up on words quickly! It amazed us how he could all of sudden repeat back to us what we would say! Some things we didn't even tell him and he knew! Like pointing to himself and saying "me"! Where did that come from we wondered! It is wonderful to see him talking more and more!! We are still working on phrases and getting him to communicate what he wants/needs more verbally, but he is making awesome progress! Could I have enrolled him in the speech therapy 2 months ago and gotten similar results sooner! I suppose, but I knew he would get there at his own pace! As a mom you just know when there is something seriously the matter that requires treatment beyond what you can give and when your child is just "going at their own pace"! Back to the "mommy & me" episode. I truly feel that he requires no therapy at this time! Zachariyah has been at home with me since day one. I wish I would have had exposed him to other children and environments from a younger age, but I didn't. He doesn't have any cousins or neighbors near by that are his age, so it's kinda just been me and him. Will it be a challenge to get him used to social environments and playing with other children? I'm sure it will be, but he won't be the first crying pre-schooler. Or the child at the playground who would just rather run around than play on the slide with the other kids and I am okay with that. He's only 2 & 1/2 and I truly feel that as he gets older and we get him out there around other kids he'll adapt and we'll be there to help him. But for whatever reason he doesn't we know there are resources out there to help us. I feel like people are too quick nowadays to "label" children or dub them "behind". Zachariyah is growing at his pace, determined not only by his personal cognitive development, but also by his environment and what my husband and I expose him to! His social skills may be lacking, but who is to say that in time he won't become the kid everyone wants to hang out with!