Worth reading or your money back

When Asher was born, my mother-in-law told me that it made her sad to think that Down syndrome might become his identity. Rather than "Oh, he has his mother's eyes" or "He looks just like his dad", people will think "Oh, he has Down syndrome" first. Her point was that the extra 21st chromosome will determine how Asher will look more than the other Kenimer or Todd genes. I hadn't really thought about that before, but it sort of made sense to me. So, I added it to the list of things I had to grieve and then let go of. (No, it didn't make me mad or hurt my feelings. It's okay. Really. She loves Asher. She just says what other people are afraid to say. It keeps the holidays exciting!)

Fast forward a few months... My girls would occasionally ask questions about Asher: Will he be able to talk to us? Will he know who we are? Will he look like us? One night I was "googling around" on the computer, and I came across a website that encouraged me and put a lot of those questions to rest: an online photo album of mothers with their children who have DS. I was amazed to see how much some of these children resemble their moms! And I'll bet the other kids look like their dads. (Case in point: Hannah looks like me, but Belle is a carbon copy of Jeff.) I showed the pictures to the girls, and they oohed and ahhed over the precious children.

Fast forward some more... Asher already has Jeff's blond hair, his beautiful blue eyes, and his short Kenimer legs (hahahaha! Just kidding, Jeff. As if he'll read this...) Of course, he has my calm demeanor and winning smile. :) Several people have told me that he looks like Hannah or Belle when he turns his head a certain way or smiles "just so". Just wait until he learns how to roll his eyes! He'll look like his sisters for sure!

Asher will be ONE on September 22. What a year this has been. I wouldn't go back or change a minute of it for anything. My cousin posted a quote on his facebook that said something like "Why is it that the things we want the most are often the worst things for us?" That made me think. Sometimes the things we would never want or ask for are the things that we need the most. I would never have asked God to give me a child with Down syndrome - until Asher. Now I can't imagine life without him, DS and all.

When you get a minute, check out "Our Little Extras: A Mother's Day Down Syndrome Celebration" (http://picasaweb.google.com/BarbarasMommyLife/OurLittleExtrasAMotherSDayDownSyndromeCelebration). It's worth your time, I promise. :)

It's late, so I hope this makes sense. If not, I'll gladly refund your subscription fee. Oh wait, this is free. Never mind. Didn't your mama tell you that you get what you pay for?

P.S. I have been trying to upload 2 adorable pictures of me & Asher, but blogger is not cooperating. I'll try again later. Don't cry.