Growing Up Geeky: My 9 Month old can read and speak 3 languages

While waiting at the doctor's office yesterday, a woman fawned all over Carina and asked how old she was. 9 Months, I replied. "Ohhh she must be crawling everywhere by now!"she exclaimed.

"Nope. No crawling yet. She tries, but she just can't do it," I remarked.

Wide eyes. Almost a death stare.

The world was {clearly} coming to an end because my baby can't haul her giant ham-hocks and diaper clad booty a few inches across the floor. And she wasn't the first person to make this face, or insinuate that something was wrong because Carina is 9 Months old and not crawling.

I'm not concerned at all. Crawling isn't even considered to be a milestone anymore. M never crawled as a baby...he just went straight to walking. I don't want to be one of those parents who is constantly thinking that something is wrong with their kid, and I'd appreciate it if other people (especially strangers) would not try to undermine this.

This reminds me of a discussion my E-Mommas and I had a couple months ago. One Momma asked what everyone's babies could do. First response: "My baby can pull up to a stand, rolls over all day, and eats finger foods!" Another began, "My baby crawls, uses a sippy cup, and is already saying a few words!" And so on.

After a few similar responses I realized that I was in a baby pissing contest - but none of babies were actually doing the pissing.

So here's my new response for when anyone asks what my baby is doing, or seems concerned that she hasn't yet accomplished something that is perceived to be a milestone:

My super smart baby is fluent in 3 languages, can read at a 4th grade level, plays oboe in the youth symphony orchestra, and is currently working on her graduate thesis.

And I even have photos to prove the last two.