The most underrated a key person in the family - did I leave out modest too?
I coped early on by denial and throwing myself into waiting hand and foot on my wife and child completely. It took a while to come to terms with a situation I wasn't expecting. As well as navigating all the other novalties this time presents: boobies projecting fine jets of milk across the bathroom, breast pumps, nappy admin, and mother-in-laws!!!
I quickly realised that I had an infinite need and desire to protect and nurture this weeing and poohing machine that we'd just produced. Nobody could take away from us our little daughter who we wanted the best for. Emily will never fully comprehend how different she will be from what we expected her to be and it's for us (as parents) to come to terms with. Realising that fundamentally Emily is a little girl like any other - who just has a reduced capacity to achieve what society deem to be success - has been the most important step for me. I now forget (happily) she has DS and concentrate on extracting as many giggles from her as possible.
I coped early on by denial and throwing myself into waiting hand and foot on my wife and child completely. It took a while to come to terms with a situation I wasn't expecting. As well as navigating all the other novalties this time presents: boobies projecting fine jets of milk across the bathroom, breast pumps, nappy admin, and mother-in-laws!!!
I quickly realised that I had an infinite need and desire to protect and nurture this weeing and poohing machine that we'd just produced. Nobody could take away from us our little daughter who we wanted the best for. Emily will never fully comprehend how different she will be from what we expected her to be and it's for us (as parents) to come to terms with. Realising that fundamentally Emily is a little girl like any other - who just has a reduced capacity to achieve what society deem to be success - has been the most important step for me. I now forget (happily) she has DS and concentrate on extracting as many giggles from her as possible.
(put much more eloquently here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article633433.ece)
I joke now that I was more disappointed that Emily was a girl than the fact she had DS, and took consolation from the fact that at least she wasn't Ginger! (no offence to all you GWAs intended - if that's still possible?).
She is has rapidly become an avid rugby supporter. Showing some insightful analysis during England's Autumn Internationals: falling asleep and crying! She can frequently be seen sporting her Sale Shark bibs (thanks to Squaddy - a Leicester supporter!) but has sadly now outgrown her England baby grow.
No comments:
Post a Comment