Development

I try not worry about Ethan's development as much as I did before. He is progressing, just not as fast as he's "supposed" to. I have had to remind myself that what the books say and what the doctor measure by are only averages. However, I do hope that he will crawl before he turns 1.
Because of his CF, I try to remind myself that he's gone through a lot more than most kids his age. He's had nebulizer treatments, vest treatments, special supplements, sputum testing (basically making him gag), antibiotics, and he's been in the hospital twice in the last year.
I have realized that as much as I want him to crawl, I can't make him crawl. He has to want it himself. He just seems to not care and that's okay with me. I don't want to be one of those parents that pushes their kid too hard, especially since there's nothing I can do. I encourage him to move and try not to pick him up as much. Ultimately, he will do it in his own timing. For now, he's pulling himself up on his play table and the gate and he scoots backwards all over the room. He's moving and that's what's important. I've learned that I need to stop comparing my kid to everyone else's. He's not someone else's kid and although I would love to brag that he's doing everything on time or early, that's not reality for him. I'm so proud of what he does do.
I'm sorry if I come across defensive. I have felt so much pressure from well meaning people even when they don't mean to come across that way. It's the shaking of their heads and the silence when they hear he's not crawling that makes me feel like I'm under a microscope or being judged. It's as if they are saying "Ohhhhh". Now that I've shared I feel a lot better.