Monday, April 12, 2010

i have been asked a simple question.

i have now been asked a few times so far in this pregnancy if i was scared. i assumed they meant to have another child with Down syndrome. i wanted to share my response with everyone just in case some of you were wondering but afraid to ask. my response was and is:
no. i am not scared.

two nights before i had my first ultrasound with this baby i had a dream, i dreamt that i was having twins. i was holding these two beautiful babies one in each arm and notice one of them was born with Ds and the other one was not. i can't express the happiness that filled me in my dream. i said to myself this is wonderful! i now have two typical children and two children born with Down syndrome:) now this may sound odd to those of you without a child with some sort of gift like Down syndrome but i'm hoping a few of you out there understand where i'm coming from. it was nice because i felt max would have another sibling who would have just a bit more in common (not that i feel lilly or this other soon to be family member isn't going to be close with max but to have someone else in the family with Ds... wow, that would be wonderful!). anyways when i went to my ultrasound and found out there is just one baby in there, i said to my husband i was a little sad that my dream wasn't true:( not that i am not super excited and thrilled to have this one baby in there because i am:)
i shared with these people that if i could take the "Down syndrome" out of max, I WOULD NOT! that is part of what makes max who he is and i love it:) now, i can see if max had major health issues and if Ds was a part of that, maybe that would change my opinion. but he IS a healthy, happy, beautiful little boy. just like lilly, max is going to and already in my book has made such a positive impact on the world, my world.
when max was first born, i can say that i had feelings and long discussions with nick on having another child. about the many reason i felt that lilly would need that other sibling to be there to help her with future issues and just to have another person in the family to talk to. now since max's little personality is shining through and to see lilly and her little brother interacting together just like any other sibling, not to mention all of the wonderful families that have come into our life, lilly's life since having max, i no longer feel that way.

before nick and i started trying to have another baby i told nick i no longer felt that way, and that i wanted to have this third baby here in our life because i think our family has so much to offer another life. there is so much love in this family, i want another child to grow up with this love, acceptance, and appreciation for life.
and yes by max being born with Down syndrome i am more likely then the average person to have another child with Ds even though in max's case it was an act of God... not genetic. so i guess whatever God has in store again i will be more than happy to take. again no, i am not scared i am excited to see what i am a part of creating:) Down syndrome or not:)

14 comments:

  1. Sara, I'm so glad I know you! I think this was so well said :)

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  2. very nicely put. I'm glad I read this post, it put somethings into perspective.

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  3. Exactly!!! I feel exactly the same way. I've even had the twin fantasy-thing...one typical and one with Ds. :)

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  4. First, I had no idea you were pregnant again! So am I!!! Second, I feel the exact way. I would not change a single thing about my precious Jack and that means even taking the Down syndrome away. I think he is perfect just the way he is! Congrats! We plan to have 4, so I know the older we get the greater our odds are to have another blessed baby with Ds, but that will never stop me from having more kids.

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  5. :) I'm just loving all this sweet stuff about little Max! I'm so glad that we came across each other that day on Circle of Moms.

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  6. Very well said! It's not Down syndrome that scares me. I can do that. I'm doing that...the only thing I hope for is healthy. God can deliver that in any way he sees fit (extra chromosomes or not!)

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  7. What a beautiful post -- love your perspective. I will NOT cry if my baby (#5) is born with Ds. I"ve been asked the same thing and whether I was having testing... yada yada... My little guy is doing for our family what Max is doing for yours and our world is so much better for having them in it. Thanks for sharing -- happy pregnancy :-)

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  8. That was so well said Sara! I am teary eyed reading it because I know how you feel...I hope you have been feeling great!!

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  9. First of all, congratulations on the new little bundle of joy joining your family. I am thrilled for you. My husband and I have started discussing having another one and have also been asked if we were scared of having another child with DS. My answer, like yours, NO! I wouldn't change a single thing about Riley and the way I look at it is who better to have a baby with Down Syndrome than a family that already has been blessed by Downs

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  10. I did not know you were pregnant...Congrats!!! How joyful you must be! I love your story about the dream, it completely sums up your feelings (and mine, by the way:)).

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  11. I always say of my two girls that I would love another two just like them.

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  12. i love your post. i completely agree- a family of two and two siblings would be just perfect for me, too!

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  13. Congrats on your pregnancy!

    I feel the same way about having another child (IF we ever decide to have more--three feels like a lot!) but keep telling my hubby we need to adopt a little girl with Ds--then we'd have two boys with typical genes and two girls with designer genes...which sounds good to me!

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