Milestones, shmilestones.

Milestones. What are milestones? Well if you have a kid, or have worked with kids you'd know milestones are the little (and big) things that kids do in a certain timeframe. Smiling, babbling, sitting up etc. But if you're a mom to a preemie, EVERYTHING feels as if it is behind. Depending on how early your lil one was, is how behind they might be. Or they might not be behind at all. Every baby is different.

Now my son, Alek, did lots "early". He held his head up without support at 2 months, walked at 11 months. But he wasn't "talking" before two. He was saying like maybe 6-10 words. Me, comparing him like a horrible mom to the kids at the daycare I work at, was upset. But that day, the day he turned two, he walked up to my brother in law's dog. He pointed at and named nearly every body part on the front of that dog while the hubby and I stood there speechless. From that day on, he hasn't shut up. And he is the typical 3 year old now.

Lainee. Lainee has had great head control from when she was born. My husband told me when he had to do kangaroo care with her when she was 2 lbs 12 oz. He was so freaked out because she kept lifting her tiny little head off of him and holding it there for a while. She was supposed to still be in the womb. Now, when she was 4 months old (1 month adjusted) she started to smile socially. Then the next month she started babbling and giggling when she wanted to. She's 6 months right now and had been chewing on her hands finally. She is attempting to roll over but my heart doesn't want to be fully happy when/if she does in 10 days. She pulls herself into a sitting position from a reclined position in my lap. But, on her tummy, she just lays there. She doesn't really attempt to hold her head up or push up on her arms.

When I see friends with babies born (full term) around when she was doing all this stuff she should be doing for a "normal" 6 month old I get jealous. I get sad. I especially get mad at myself for getting sick and having to have her so early. And now, I wonder just how far "behind" my early girl will get from being immobile for three months.

Another sign of hip dysplasia:

☆Hip Click 

Hip clicks or pops can sometimes suggest hip dysplasia but a snapping sound can occur in normal hips from developing ligaments in and around the hip joint. 

- See more at: http://hipdysplasia.org/developmental-dysplasia-of-the-hip/infant-signs-and-symptoms#sthash.6YfGnSmS.dpuf