I was in the grocery store yesterday with Colin and the young girl who was checking me out was gushing over Colin. I've had her before; she used to ask questions while I was pregnant, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't remember who I am.
I was already a bit flustered because I couldn't find a basket to carry while I pushed Colin in the stroller so I was shoving stuff in the basket underneath, plus Colin's teacher told us she felt he was a little off (so I was very closely watching him), and on top of all of that, I always feel rushed while I'm bagging my groceries.
So as she was gushing over him telling me how cute he was, she turned to me and said, "he's a downs baby right?" I will tell you over and over again that I'm Ok talking to anyone about Colin's diagnosis and where he is at right now. However, I was completely thrown off guard and had a million thoughts racing through my head but just couldn't seem to spit anything out. I kept thinking "he's doing so well!", "he's going to break the mold!", "he has Down Syndrome, he's not a Downs baby"...so all I actually said was yes. It reminded me of that part in Dirty Dancing where Baby kept muttering to herself "I carried a watermelon?!" after an exchange at that upstairs "club" of sorts with Patrick Swayze.
Then she babbled on about how she grew up with "Downs babies" and that her brother has Aspergers so she is very aware of children with special needs. In any other moment, I may have been able to respond back, but I just nodded and smiled as I rushed to get all of the groceries bagged. The women behind me was just staring at me as though I was taking too long.
So, it happened. Someone flat out asked...took a lot longer than I expected for that to happen!
3 comments:
It just goes to show that Colin is the cutest little boy who just happens to be diagnosed with down syndrome! He is doing a fantastic job thanks to his mommy and daddy and he is breaking the mold! True it is difficult to have someone blurt it out, but he's just so darn cute!!! Cookie, you are breaking the mold! I love you!! Love, Nana
That is an adorable picture... :) I wanted to put it on my donation page for the Plunge but it won't let me... grrr..
You guys are doing a remarkable job. Remember that first and foremost.
Sometimes I think it is better for someone to blatently ask the question you've been expecting. Perhaps somewhere inside it'll be stress relief because it won't be as shocking when someone else asks a similar question.
I haven't had anyone ask directly yet, maybe because I usually blurt it out first. They usually ask what the stickies are on his face or about the "don't touch - recent heart surgery" sign, so I then explain about the oxygen & heart surgery, which naturally leads to the Ds part of his story.
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