Our family would make for an interesting reality show. I’m just not sure I’d want anyone to have that much access to everything that occurs within these four walls.
We have 5 children, ranging in age from 20 down to 9. The oldest has an ‘I should be an only child’ attitude and has since acquiring that title many years ago.
I distinctly remember telling her she was going to have a little sister or brother. Barely two, she looked me square in the eye and said, Ship that baby to Alaska!
That pretty much describes the relationship she has had with her younger sister from day one.
Despite my father’s best attempts at fostering loving feelings between the girls when they were young with a song he composed and recorded for them entitled, ‘I Love My Sister’ the bond was never a strong one.
I reassured myself they would become the best of friends, once they went off to college. We are just beginning to see signs of a budding friendship now that they are not under the same roof.
My husband and I were quite content with our 2 daughters and gave away all our baby things when they were still small. A year or so later, we watched videos of them as babies.
Those videos did us in. We decided right then we were open to having more children. Three more arrived within the next 5 years. We had a boy, another girl and then Josiah.
At 22 weeks gestation, we were told our unborn child had Down Sydrome.
The ultrasound showed 4 markers for Down Syndrome; a short femur, extra skin at the nape of the neck, I can’t recall the third marker, but the last I will never forget.
The Dr. looked at my husband and me and said, Looking at you both, I would expect this baby to have a big nose, but he doesn’t. This child has a small, flat nose.
He might as well have stopped talking at that point. Because quite honestly, all I kept thinking, (and I know this sounds vain but I could not stop thinking to myself) I have a big nose??? Really? I’ve always known my husband has a big nose, but ME?
On the drive home, I focused more on the big nose comment than on the realization our lives were about to change in a very drastic way.
A week later, an amniocentisis confirmed the diagnosis. Our child had Down Syndrome.
Thus began our journey with Josiah. Even before he arrived on the scene, he was rocking our world.
Join me as I share some of the trials and triumphs our family has experienced on this ever eventful, oftentimes chaotic, always interesting adventure.