(3) 21 Down Syndrome Blog Hop

Meriah shared this blog hop the other day, a simple little hop that gives beaucoup info in a short, sweet little post.  And, as it currently stands, while I have massive numbers of posts swirling around in my head that need to be written, this will be my first in about a week, with no regular blog schedule in sight.  Summer school has put a little bit of a damper on my creative outlets - mornings are traditionally for leisurely writing or editing photos while scarfing down a bowl of cereal, child already at school, me already prepared to be late for work.  As always.  But with summer school starting an hour later than regular school, I have to be up and ready and have Samantha up and ready before I can take her to school, which happens to be on my way to work.  So...never late, and no time to write.

This hop asks for 3 things:

One truth (about Ds/our lives with Ds)
One tip (- information on something related to Ds/raising a child with Ds/or just parenting in general)
One photo

Quite simple on the surface, but I still have to think to come up with the answers.  So here goes...

One Truth:  Maybe I shouldn't say this.  I feel like it may be a bit too revealing.  Not like I mind revealing stuff, seeing as I have been blogging for the past 6 years, but some things probably just shouldn't be said.  But this is what comes to mind first:  I get jealous.  Like, really jealous.  For a number of reasons.  I know we're not supposed to compare kids, but maybe because Samantha is our only child, I feel that she needs to embody that typical child we'll never have as well as that amazing, enhanced child we do have.  I watch other kids with Down syndrome, pick out each and every thing they can do that Samantha can't, worry about why she can't, get frustrated with her, get mad at myself for comparing, wondering if, in my own overly-cautious parenting style, perhaps I haven't given her critical opportunities for independence or adventure or sports or dance or whatever.  To fly.  I get jealous of other children having siblings who are there to look out for and protect them, to support them way off into the future, after their parents are gone, who advocate for them at school, who play with them every day, share secrets, play some more, even argue. 

One Tip:  Don't compare.  'Nuff said.  It's one of those do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do tips.  Easier said than done, easier to dole out as advice than to take for myself. 

One Photo:  Y'know, I actually haven't taken many photos lately.  Sounds crazy, but it's true.  I just haven't had much time, and haven't felt like dragging my camera around with me.  Here's one I took a couple of weeks ago, after her bath as her hair was drying.  I think she looks so much like me as a child here.  I love that.

 

More to come soon, including a photo I've been sitting on for nearly two months that I can finally share, an end-of-the-school-year post (which will become a start-of-the-new-school-year post if I don't get my act together), a truly amazing fact I found out at the NDSC conference about Alzheimer's, and how wonderful the NDSC conference was, especially getting to meet so many blog/FB friends IRL.