On Wednesday night I was driving the kids to swimming and from the back seat my son pipes up..."Mom, I'm tired of being little. I don't want to be little anymore". I said "Well son, that's not going to change and that's just who you are, be proud of who you are."...it was the next line that made me pause " Mom, why are babies born different?". I took a deep breath, this was the question I've been waiting for, wondering how I would answer for the past (almost) 7 years. I have thought about it over and over and never found an answer that I loved until Wednesday night. I lowered the rearview mirrow and looked into the back of the car. Looked at my son who was looking at me and waiting. " Well, Mr. C, everybody is born with a storybook in their cells and every book is different. It has different pictures and a different story. My story is different then yours, Daddy's and Grandma's but that is what makes us who we are."...a pause from the backseat "Mom, well what if my friends don't believe there is a book in my belly?". "Well son, the book isn't in your belly it's in your cells and you can tell your friends it's called DNA". And that was that. He's asked lately why his arms don't straighten and I've told him why. He's asking many more questions as he becomes more self aware. I'm thinking on the fly and trying to come up with answers that an (almost) 7 year old can understand. I'm just happy I didn't become emotional and burst into tears.
He said he's the only small kid he knows...Kim, Owen are older and Danielle, Max, Ethan are teenagers. Declan, Gabby and Reine are younger. We talked about Rhys and how Rhys was small like him. He said yes but Rhys isn't here anymore. He misses him ( this is when I almost lost it). It's hard to know that there is a boy only 6 month older then Mr. C but we're not in contact with him and his folks. There is a boy in Richmond who is just a year older then him but we are not in contact with them. We talked about the boys he met in Calgary that were his age but they live far away.
He brought up Rhys again tonight and how they had their faces painted at Rhys's birthday party. It is a nice memory for him.
I am thankful for his LPBC buddies and I hope that as we work through this time in his life he can grow to accept himself for who he is.
He said he's the only small kid he knows...Kim, Owen are older and Danielle, Max, Ethan are teenagers. Declan, Gabby and Reine are younger. We talked about Rhys and how Rhys was small like him. He said yes but Rhys isn't here anymore. He misses him ( this is when I almost lost it). It's hard to know that there is a boy only 6 month older then Mr. C but we're not in contact with him and his folks. There is a boy in Richmond who is just a year older then him but we are not in contact with them. We talked about the boys he met in Calgary that were his age but they live far away.
He brought up Rhys again tonight and how they had their faces painted at Rhys's birthday party. It is a nice memory for him.
I am thankful for his LPBC buddies and I hope that as we work through this time in his life he can grow to accept himself for who he is.
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