"Watch and learn..."

I've even in a bit of a slump lately. Sam seems close to meeting several milestones, but just can't put it all together yet. It is hard to watch him get farther behind even his peers with Down syndrome. I know a big part is that I'm so fixated on his gross motor skills, which are by far his biggest weakness, but is also the most obvious group of milestones in a kid who is Sam's age. People never ask you "can your kid find your nose?" or "does your Child eat broccoli like its ice cream?" or "how long did it take your baby to figure out activating his new Christmas toy?"

They ask you "is he walking?". No.

Standing independently? Nope.

Pulling to stand? Not really.

Crawling? Nyet. (yeah I've had to start learning to say No in other languages)

At 13 months he is starting to belly crawl and is getting closer every day to pushing to sit. It's...a lesson in avoiding mompetition.

This is a lesson I still need to learn. Read on:

A few days ago we went to lunch with friends who have a baby the same age as Sam (a 46er). She is at least on track with milestones, probably advanced in some areas (frankly I've lost track of the track). Her dad saw Sam drinking from a straw cup, and told her, "Watch and learn."

From Sam.

From Sam!

I'm truly not even that jazzed that he's "beating her" in straw cup skills. (Okay maybe just a smidge.). But I'm absolutely thrilled at the notion that, for the moment, he has something concrete to teach his typical peers.

He always will I think. Emotional intelligence is such a powerful thing. And that, I know, Sam has in spades.