I completely agree with no straight line and is why a lot of people argue against gifted identification of infants/toddlers and specifically against Ruf's book with the telltale signs. I, however, have the poster child for Ruf's book and it was comforting to read the book and realize that I was not crazy.

For the most part DD was advanced on all levels. Her gross motor skills were the weaker group. She could sit up by age 4 mths but crawling and walking was fairly on schedule and not really advanced.

As for fine motor skills, they were to the extreme with the ability to write some letters and draw noticeable objects by the time she was 11 mths. She was also able to use a spoon independently and with hardly any mess by 7 or 8 mths.

As for verbal ... hers were through the roof: she had complex words by 3 months and complete complicated sentences by 6 mths including proper pronouns. We stopped counting words before she turned 1 because she was way over 100 words and all clear precise ones. The only baby word she had was wawa.

Numbers: Before she turned 1 she was able to count to 10 b/c she was fascinated with a row of buttons on her grandmother's shirts.

ABCs: Due to her discovering some block books she knew all the ABCs by 9 mths.

Body Parts: Knew all major and some minor ones by 4 mths.

Object Permanence: Our pediatrician was shocked that by 4 mths DD clearly understood this concept.

Sense of Humor: Has always been a funny baby and by 6 mths was hiding objects in her carseat asking people where it went and then pulling it out as if she did a magic trick. And as she grew her wit and humor matured even more. She is not even 3 and loves puns.

Anyway ... I just wanted to give you a breakdown for DD up to a year.