Stalled

I've been trying hard for the past few weeks not to let it consume me. But I'm a little worried about Samuel. Just a little, you understand. I'm not letting it be too big a deal.

At Sam's 6 month check, the Health Nurse noted that his fontanelles (she said his Anterior) had closed up, completely. A further check by our GP confirmed that they were indeed, closed. She asked us questions, and as we all felt he was meeting his developmental milestones quite nicely, we wouldn't worry. She measured his head circumfrance, and we agreed to simply keep an eye on him.

About 2 or 3 weeks ago, I sat up in bed one night, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I realised that in the past 4 months, Samuel has made literally no progress. Not in any are of development. At 5 months, he was pulling himself up, and standing up against everything. At 7, he was cruising around furniture, constantly. We were certain he'd be walking by 9.

And because he was doign these things, earlier than many babies his age, we weren't even thinking about his development, and any timelines. I'm a big proponent of the notion that 'normal' is in fact, a HUGE range, and that falling anywhere in that range is just fine. I believe they develop at their own pace, and pay next to no attention to these milestones, or when they occur.

But somehow, I'd failed to notice that he's simply stalled. He hasn't really lost anything. He just hasn't learned anything new. He's not doing anything at all that he wasn't doing, just as well, 4 months ago.

Now, maybe this is because he's been sick. Constant ear infections are, of course, going to slow him down. And I hope, so very much that that's all this is.

But I took him to the GP today (for his ears) and mentioned it. A look of concern ever so briefly crossed her face, quickly covered up by the professional, not-at-all concerned mask one becomes accustomed to. She took a tape measure and measured his skull (well, tried to. He freaked.the.hell.out, as he always does when anything is put over his head) and said "Yeah. It's time to go ahead and get that x ray done".

So. X Rays next week. How in the hell I'm going to hold (what is acknowledged by ALL who know him to be the squirmiest and strongest baby that ever lived) still my 11month old powerhouse, remains to be seen.

It's ok, right? Nothing whatsoever to be concerned about, right?