OT: do your last kids grow too fast??

[kwitcherkicken99]

A little background... after 2 extremely difficult pregnancies (including a miscarriage between both our kiddos) I had my tubes tied. We had a scare when we had to have DD tested for Down's and Turners (thank God the tests were negative).

Now I see my daughter reaching her milestones WAY earlier than DS did. She is doing things that it took him forever to do. She's growing up far faster than I ever expected. She's 9 months and on the verge of walking. DS took his first unassisted steps a week after his first birthday.

Is it just me or do kids grow up too fast when you know they are your last??

 

[HelenePA]

My 2nd daughter was walking at 8months old.. yes they do grow too fast! My 9month old is getting brave and letting go while cruising so I'm sure it wont be long til he's running with the others (heaven help me) I try to savor the moments while they are little.. it goes so fast even when they aren't your last!

 

[Schmeck]

No, kids just develop at their own rate, and when you only have two, of course one is going to do something earlier than the other one did.

 

[Zeebs]

They do develope at their own rate, but I think they do some things faster than their older one because they have a role model to follow.

My second walked about 5 months before my first, but my first spoke first.

Kirsten

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I think having older siblings does help make them a bit ahead of the first, they have others they want to keep up with and be like. They see their sibling(s) and want to do what they are doing. Also, I think we moms feel it more when it is our last, I know I did. Everything was so exciting with our first, and while it was with the others, it was kind of a little sad too to see how fast it happened (knowing how fast it all goes). Everything my baby did I'd think, that's my last baby to...

 

[bratmomma]

Even if there is a scientific explanation or whatever, I still FEEL like she is growing too fast because she is my last.

I had three high risk pregnancies, two of the three, requiring hospitalization at some point and all three spent time in the NICU when they were born, one even ended up BACK in the hospital shortly after coming home. We also decided that we shouldn't have anymore and DH had a vasectomy. I savor every milestone with her. I did with the boys as well, but it seems so bittersweet when she reaches them.

Maybe we could slow down time?? LOL

 

[stacy6552]

Do kids grow up too fast? Well my itty bitty baby, born at 8lbs 7 ozs, who has been my Harry Potter buddy for a decade, who I took out of school to see the first movie on opening day, who I stood in line with at midnight twice to be first in line to get the latest book, told me yesterday, at the age of 15, that he's got no interest in the latest movie. Heck yes they grow up too fast......

Oh wait you had a specific question. You will find that these two children are vastly different in many ways. My first sleeps like the dead and eats anything put in front of him. My second wakes if the air stirs in his room and wont eat anything that's not a chicken nugget or hot dog. Don't sweat the differences.

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh wow, yes kids definitely grow up way too fast! My oldest is 21, she has her own baby now, I can remember my DD doing things her 5 month old is doing! And yes, all 3 of my girls did things at different ages. Just savor what you can, take pictures, videos and save them all, that way you can "remember when" whenever you feel the need.

 

[Colleen27]

I've been surprised that I'm not more sad/bittersweet over our last growing up so fast, but she is definitely reaching her milestones sooner. I think it is having the big kids around to copy. She was walking at 9mo, and at 11mo can already say "mama", "dada", "sis", "thank you" (not clearly, but recognizeable to people who know her), "up", "hi", "bye-bye", "kiss" and a few others. My older two started both walking and talking right around their first birthdays, so she's a good 2-3 months ahead of where they were at her age.

I'm enjoying her milestones a lot more, though. With my first, there was all that new parent anxiety and with the second I had to balance enjoying the baby with chasing the toddler. The age gap between the older two and the baby is so big that she's almost like an only when the big kids are at school, so there's a really nice balance between family time and just mom & baby time to watch her grow.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I know DD looks up to her big brother a lot and I'm pretty sure that's what's spurring her on. My thing is that her birth is so final and I'm wondering if knowing 100% that we're done is making me think it's going by way too fast. I'm so glad that I had the summer off from school at the age she is. I've been able to spend a ton of time with her at the perfect age that I've truly been able to enjoy every minute of it, but GEEZ! It's going too fast!

 

[SLK1]

My youngest is truly "the baby". We ALL treat her like such a baby, so no way is she growing up too fast...we keep her young!

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

Down Syndrome, a scare?? Surely you're kidding, you have not met my little princess!! Down syndrome is a blessing, God made her that way!! We are all precious in God's eyes and my little DS princess is perfect; I love everything about her, wouldn't have her any other way!! I hope you did not consider aborting your precious daughter for fear that she may have....Down Syndrome....!!! What a blessing my daughter is to everyone who knows her, certainly not the dreaded curse you seem to think it would be if your daughter was born with it!! Down Syndrome is not something to fear!! I am happy for you having had a healthy child, but she would not be any less of a blessing if she had been born with Down Syndrome!!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Down Syndrome, a scare?? Surely you're kidding, you have not met my little princess!! Down syndrome is a blessing, God made her that way!! We are all precious in God's eyes and my little DS princess is perfect; I love everything about her, wouldn't have her any other way!! I hope you did not consider aborting your precious daughter for fear that she may have....Down Syndrome....!!! What a blessing my daughter is to everyone who knows her, certainly not the dreaded curse you seem to think it would be if your daughter was born with it!! Down Syndrome is not something to fear!! I am happy for you having had a healthy child, but she would not be any less of a blessing if she had been born with Down Syndrome!!

OH GOOD HEAVEN'S NO!!!!

It was a "scare" because of what the doctors were saying AFTER she was born. I never thought for a moment about genetic testing during the pregnancy. After her birth, I was in the middle of a spinal headache, just had my tubes tied, and then a doctor is telling me there may be something "wrong" with my newborn daughter... I was a mess.

I know that Down's kids/adults are truly special souls. We did lots of research on both Turner's AND Down's as the doctor said that her hairline and size of her head were things that needed further investigation.

Regardless of the results, she was still our baby and there was nothing that was going to take her away from us. It was just an extremely scary time in my life not knowing what tomorrow was going to bring, especially since I felt guilt of NOT having the genetic test during the pregnancy, that way we would have been better prepared if she did have Down's. I don't like to be sideswiped with potentially life changing news.

 

[5 for WDW]

Yes, it does go too fast! I have three. My oldest will be 12 in two weeks, my middle son is 9 and our "baby" (our last) will be 6 in October. She just graduated Kindergarten last month and it literally felt like my 9 year old had just graduated the week before!

She has done everything quicker. Walking, talking, getting herself dressed, etc, etc. We took them to their first concert last night. We dragged the boys to the Jonas Brothers for her. I was sitting in the seat with tears streaming down my face watching her sing and dance with the other big girls around us. (While my boys sat there *trying* NOT to have a good time) It was a real in-my-face moment that by baby is a little girl now.

For me, it is going way too fast (for them all!) and I don't like it one little bit!

 

[LWatson]

I feel like this right now too. My little guy just turned 19m and moved from the Infant/Pre Toddler room at his daycare to the Toddler room and I cried. It was the last thing that kept him my "baby", and its gone. I know they have to grow up, but them growing up makes me feel old.

 

[sdoll]

Way too fast. Our DS just turned 2 and I have no idea how it happened. We have decided that although we would love to have more its just not right for our family. So no little girls for this mommy. But I have 2 wonderful boys that melt my heart everyday. But it is so hard for me to watch my baby get so big. I know he's not even a baby anymore he's a big boy but he will always be my baby.