Overrated skills

I subscribe to an Internet site that sends you an email once a week about where your baby should be developmentally week by week. This is not a good thing as it turns out. These expectations that average out billions of babies cause mothers to start doubting the developmental health of their otherwise healthy baby when they don't in fact find their toes at 3.7 months of age. According to this site (that I am still receiving emails from....) Ben "should" have started rolling over about 2-3 weeks ago. Unfortunately I have a little mommy's boy (which I admit is encouraged...) who does not like to be put down very often. Occasionally when I am feeling guilty about his "delayed development" I will put out a colourful blanket and lots of motivating toys and try to encourage rolling. This usually ends in him laying on his back screaming at me to pick him up. If he does roll in one of these sessions it will be purely accidental as a result of his thrashing. He is certainly strong enough to roll, he simply lacks interest. I think he may walk before he rolls because his legs are very strong and if he's not in someones arms he wants to be in a standing position. I am not that worried about the rolling. I am happy to have him immobile for now. He will do all these things in his own time I'm sure. Who really needs "rolling" anyway?! I don't remember the last time I needed to roll! It's really not that handy of a skill at all...sort of like long division, I knew I wouldn't use that either (see Mrs. Campbell...I told you I wouldn't)! What Ben HAS mastered is his great big smile that gets him just about whatever he wants. He can grab things and bring them to his mouth, he has a great laugh that I am addicted to (please see Daddy and Ben video for a sample)and can almost sit on his own. Go Ben!