Parental Jealousy

So I know this is completely silly, I KNOW that. But, that being said, I don't know any parents out there who have not experienced this to some extend, at one time or another. And if you are a parent, and you say you haven't, I think you're lying, you yourself, and everyone else (Either that, or your child hasn't started reaching the milestone things yet, or you HAVE the kid who is one day ahead of everyone else's haha). 

I'm talking about parental jealousy. You know, the kind of jealousy you get inside when you see another kid who is around the same age as your kid, doing something your kid can't yet. I don't know if jealousy is really the correct word here, but I can't think of another way to describe it. And yes, I do know that all kids develop at different rates, and there are so many elements that play into when they learn to do all those big firsts, like crawling, and standing, and walking, etc. But I just can't help that little voice in my head... 

I was checking out another blog of a new mom, whose son is one day older than Joshua. And she had a video of him standing up on his own. As in, not holding onto anything to stand up. Joshua can pull himself to a stand, with one hand, or two, and he walks around with his walking toy and all along the furniture, but he has yet do do any of that on his own yet. Of course, he was the same way with crawling. He never cared to do any of the scooting, or comando crawling, he did nothing until one day, we put him on the floor to play, as usual, and he just popped himself up off his belly, and started crawling! I have a feeling the same will happen one day with walking and standing unassisted. But the waiting....ohhhh the waiting! And I know he can stand unassisted because he lets go of things he is holding for support all the time and hops, he just hasn't gotten himself up without help yet.

And like I said, I knowwww he is young still, especially for a boy of his size (I have been told that boys are a little slower sometimes to do these things than girls, especially boys on the upper end of the growth charts... I'll take it), and there is nothing wrong with him or learning things at his own pace. But there is just something, I think, in a parent, especially (maybe?) a first timer, that says "I want mine to do that too!" or "How come mine isn't doing that yet!" Wouldn't you other parents agree? Anyway, I don't think I can turn mine off! And I ignore it, and tell myself I am being silly for thinking these things. And I have a strange feeling once he DOES do these things I always wish he would suddenly do, I'll wish he couldn't at some point. Sort of like how I now miss the days when I could swaddle him and plop him on the couch next to me, and he would just lay there, and not roll, or crawl away, he would just sleep. Oh how I miss THAT one sometimes, especially when I am working from home trying to finish projects! 

So that's my rant for now. Thanks for reading! :)