1.) When he was born & he was already attentive & interactive. �I called it a "strong spiritual presence" which I equate with advanced intelligence but I've been told online that assumption is ridiculous
others described it while he was still a baby by saying "he never was a baby."
2.) motor & social- always held up his own head from birth, clearly focused on whoever was talking in the delivery room. �By day 2 turned from stomach to back. �Within first week pushed up on crawl position & took a "step" or 2 with a hand or knee (I have pics!) but didn't stand 'till 5 months bracing himself, crawled at 7 months (think it would have been sooner if he hadn't got fat- too heavy to lift.). Looks like 10 months free-standing and toddling but mostly crawled because it was faster. �
At 7 mo. I did a 15 min. baby yoga routine on him 3x a week. �One week he didn't seem to like it. �A friend suggested I let him do it himself. �He did a few of the exercises properly and at the right time in the video. �He didn't do the correct # of reps. so he obviously couldn't count at 8.5 mos.
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Looks like 9 mos. old he would put his thumbs together & walk his fingers for the itsy-bitsy spider which at the time I thought was advanced. Most things (like the "crawling" at 2 weeks) other pointed out to me as advanced, not me. �But I thought walking the spider at 9 months was advanced.
Verbal & Literacy- I don't think he's very verbal. �He communicates clearly but is not a chatterbox. �I didn't read books to my baby (weird, I know). �So he learned a few sight words from the tv guide channel. �I don't know how to explain great communication skills in my non-verbal kid. �
Journal entry 2 days before 2nd birthday- "U been playing video games on the iPhone for a while now. �I've finally let you play the Hooked on Phonics pre-k game on my expensive laptop with your slobbery teething fingers (touchpad mouse).
You've had this privilege for about a week, no more than 1 hr/day. �Within 3 days I no longer had to help you navigate between games. �Today, wow. �You blew my mind yet again. �Hippo said, "I have a fox in my cart. �Find the word that starts with the same sound "F-f-fox". �(You don't really talk yet. �You say a few words, you have a few phrases, you've made 2 sentences. �You're still in pampers. �Up till now I thought you were clicking random buttons.). You answered Hippo correctly, out loud. �"F-f-fork". I immediately turned around to watch you. �You moved past 3 wrong answers to point & click on the fork. �Then you clicked on the fish, then one more "f" word, I forgot what and it was 15 minutes ago. �Anyway you didn't click any of the wrong answers and you got all the right ones. �And you answered out-loud. �That wasn't coincidence.
3.) No, he's not delayed. �I thought he was recently because his verbal doesn't match his other skills to me, but friends and strangers say he talks fine and clear. �I thought his speech was regressing and I was worried about his hearing, but after everyone assured me his speech was fine and clear I decided he was sounding less clear to me because he was talking more and using more words (therefore making more mistakes and mispronunciations). �
4.). The mental illnesses that are in our family trees include dyslexia, ADD, bipolar, alcoholism, & Alzheimer's. �At two 3/4 none of these are apparent, but they are on my radar along with cancer & strokes when we're older, asthma, allergies, and the use of eyeglasses. �So far, so good.
5.) I'm told the school will test him in pre-k.
6.). Asynchronousity ? �Huh. �I think he seems to quickly learn anything I want to show him. �Since we're at home alone most of the time together I think it's reasonable his strengths are the things I've exposed him to, so that's not asynchronousity- that's exposure. �Every time we go visit others and come home he exhibits a new learned skill within a week. �So I don't know how he would be in a different environment. �I don't know if he's asynchronous. �(probably not, he's a Libra :)�
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7.) I'd say he's consistent and a mellow fellow. �I think he's developing evenly as a whole little person. �Maybe that's just wishful thinking in my part because that's my goal in raising him. �
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I don't know if this will help your survey. �Sorry I didn't take better notes. �So far his life journal only has 6 pages in it.
Don't know if this will help your survey because my boy doesn't fit the "gifted profile" I see in the message boards. �I'm saying he's probably 99.9 & I haven't even researched identifying 3sd giftedness as much as I look for info on parenting such a kid because well, I just assume. �FWIW I used to consistently test 99.9. �But most people don't know because I'm goofy not nerdy. �The ones who notice usually say "I know you have a high i.q. because I have one too." -Busted. �
