Actually we had this discussion about a month or so and crawling is not an actual milestone. Not all babies crawl. Some will start and then stop suddenly and then walk months later. Others walk before they crawl. Some never crawl at all. Walking also can't really be judged by your baby's age. All kids start at different times. They're just not like all other milestones that are usually done at a certain month, it depends on your child. While she may be doing all this now, it may be months and months before she goes onto the next step. (DS was about 6 1/2 months old when he started to crawl and 13 months when he walked.) Also, just because a baby gets ahead in milestones won't necessarily mean they will stay that way. A lot of it has to do with the fact that they don't work on all areas at once. While one may be ahead in the physical activities, another may be more ahead in the verbal. So I always looked at DS and if he was very active and trying to do a lot of physical things, I didn't worry that he wasn't in a rush to talk. (Although MIL thought he had a problem there and needed his hearing checked but he was right on schedule. He "talked" to us, just not around others he didn't see all the time)

Good luck to you and hope you get your Einstein :-)

~Leslie~

WOW! thanks Leslie:)

Keep in mind that the "milestones" as they are given in a book are always averages and may have little to do with your child's abilities. Of course, if any child is 'waaaaayy behind in any of the averages, then there may be a problem. But if your child is ahead, then you will have bragging rights for a while. Just remember, that there will always be someone around who has a child that did it faster......and then there are mothers that flat out LIE!! LOL

It's fasinating to watch them figure out how to do something. It's hard to keep from helping them. But there is nothing like the look that's on that little face as they manage to do it on their own.

I remember well watching two of mine trying to figure out how to pull themselves up. One in the playpen, and one in his crib. It seemed like it took hours. But the consentration and grunts involved....you could almost see the little mind working.....Wonderful and then the JOY when they made it up on those two little feet. Nothing like it.

My first DD was right on time with everything and I just thought she was going to be the smartest child every alive. Now I have a boy and he is late with everything, which only means he is going to be the smartest child alive.

Every step they make along the way is excited whether it is one month ahead of the norm or two months behind.

Of course you are going to compare your child with what they should be doing at this time of their lives. You can call anything a milestone that you want.