Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Reverse Comparison

I often read posts on my online support group from moms comparing their little ones with Down syndrome to typically developing kids. Today, I want to reverse that and compare my typically developing baby with Eon at the same age.

Keturah (KJ) is 7 weeks old. She is just starting to have a longer (up to 6 hr) stretch of sleep at night. Eon was sleeping 12 hours straight at this age.

To fall asleep, KJ needs to be nursed, rocked, jiggled, and shushed. Eon needed to be laid in his crib.

On car rides, someone needs to sit next to KJ and constantly stuff her pacifier back into her mouth. Eon slept or watched his toys quietly.

When I'm cooking dinner, someone has to have KJ duty and walk her around the living room to keep her from wailing. Eon sat contentedly in his bouncer seat for 45 minutes in the kitchen with me.

When being held, KJ's whole body seems to be tense, like she wants to be moving. Eon just melted against my chest.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this baby with all that is in me. She is a blessing. But she is very high maintenance. I worried about how I'd cope with a "typical" child after enjoying the blessing of a baby with Down syndrome. The answer is: not very well. I try not to compare her to her brother, but I'm not very successful. Smile And they say Eon is the one with special needs. LOL!

5 comments:

  1. This is a great post Tara! Hope she evens out and isn't so high maintenence.

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  2. so TRUE!! I find Maddie is the BEST baby I have ever met! she is content, self amused and very relaxing to around...I love her cuddles...great post and very thought provoking! smiles

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  3. LOL...I can relate to this! When I found out I was pregnant with Russell I was NOT happy, and most of that had to do with the fact that his sister before him was the worst baby EVER!! She drained every last bit of energy from me...I swore she was the LAST! Then Russell came along and he was just the easiest, sweetest baby ever, and he completed our family perfectly :)

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  4. You thought this might be the case when we talked this summer. ((hugs)) Praying she settles into an easier routine soon.

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  5. I loved this post! My 1st was the most colicky baby, I think, EVER! Although Jessie wasn't the easy going baby that I read that many with DS are (just wasn't meant for me to have an easy going baby) there were many exceptionally sweet things that were unique to her of my three. When she would wake up in the night and realize that I was right there (she was in my bed :) she would smile at me even as she closed her eyes back. She was so happy to just know I was there. She's laying on the couch beside me now, think I better give her a smooch just thinking about it :)

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