I think that most toddlers start speaking in phrases between 18-24 months, so the other kids may very well catch up soon in that regard. I don't think my DD spoke many intelligible words til 16 mo. and would have looked "slow" compared to your child, but when she was 2 she was suddenly very articulate with very long sentences and sounded like a much older child. There is such a wide range of development with kids that age and no way to predict what things will be like in even a few months.
We bought almost all our toys used from garage sales, thrift stores, etc....then the ones that were still in good condition I sold and got my money back. You just need to keep getting more difficult puzzles, shape sorters, etc. that are meant for older kids (just make sure they are not choking hazards). We had some toys that my kids outgrew before they even had a chance to play with them.
I don't remember getting death stares from anyone but I remember feeling that way because DS in particular had some delays and it was stressful seeing other kids so much more advanced. So that could be part of it. If the situation was reversed and your DS was the one who was behind you would probably start feeling a bit competitive as well. Everyone just wants their kid to be "normal" and meet the milestones and people don't necessarily know that your DS is advanced. I know that other moms probably looked at DS and felt smug about their own precocious children, but ironically DS is now almost 8 and academically at the top of the class and needs radical acceleration for math. So like I said, you can't look at these super tiny kids and conclude anything definite about their long-term abilities.
