It is okay to shift your own gear... starting out at 2 which your transmission will shift from 1 to 2 and then you shift to 3...etc.

What I want you to focus is if the power is good as you remembered even though the speed may be limited by each gear... is it really peppy? or sluggish?

Try again in D from start...

This would tell you if you have tranny problem like valve body... If the gear upshift too soon... it would feel sluggish and that is definitely the transmission valve body.