Mom worries...

As a mom, it seems I am always worried about something or another. I worry about the future mostly. I worry about whether JJ will make the right choices. I worry that he will be bullied. I worry that he will be the one bullying (what? not my sweet little man!!) I watch the news and I worry that something terrible will happen to him. I tell my husband everyday that I will never let JJ walk to and from school by himself. It maybe an overreaction and my mind my change later, but for now when it isn't even an issue yet, that's the policy. We live in a safe area, but there are too many bad people in the world and I don't want to take any chances.

For now my current worry is the fact that my 19-month-old child doesn't seem to have any interest in talking. He's growing up so fast and he seems so smart. Like, smart to the point that I know he's going to give me trouble when he gets older :0) But not so much with the talking. We read to him and talk to him all the time, but he just smiles and laughs and does his thing. He understands everything we ask him or tell him. "Who's JJ?" points to himself, proudly "Can you get your ball?" runs to his ball "Close the door please." closes the door (this one is easy. for some reason JJ loves closing doors, whether you are ready for him to do it or not.) "Give Mommy kisses." he does and it melts my heart every single time. He also loves to wave at people "hi" and "bye" but he doesn't say the words to go with it. He can also fit the shaped blocks into their spaces and feed himself with a fork (still working on the spoon, he likes to turn it upside-down). Basically, everything a child his age should be doing, he is. Except verbally.

Don't get me wrong, JJ makes a lot of noises. He talks in his own way. He is not by any means the silent type. The only "words" he seems to say are the "K" sound for milk and "up, up, up" when he wants to get into our laps. We've tried withholding what he's asking for so he'll say it, but he usually just figures out how to do it on his own or he moves onto something else instead. I've stopped looking on the internet for advice because the options people present for why he isn't talking yet scare me. And probably aren't true since most of them start with "Well, my sister's neighbor's baby sitter's little brother didn't talk..."

I'm sure he's fine. I'm sure one day he'll start talking and I'll realize I worried for nothing. He could just have delayed speech; I've read that its common with boys. Still, as his mother, I can't help but wonder if its something I did or should be doing. I'm sure I'll have that thought my whole life, but that doesn't make it any less there.

Having children is stressful!! I have been blessed with a beautiful baby who is growing up to be such a sweet, independent little boy. I love watching him grow and learn and figure out the world around him. Seriously, I could just sit and watch him all day. But that beautiful little boy is also the cause for all my worries. Still, I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. Even if he never speaks another word for the rest of his life. :0)