Ramblings About People Noticing Bennett...

Now that Bennett is older, people notice him more and I can tell that they look at him a little longer than what's just the normal glance at a baby.  It's most often in a checkout line and what used to be a concern of mine- "Would people notice he had Down syndrome?" is sooo not even a concern now.

I know people know.  Of course I don't care.  They can tell by looking at his eyes and you can almost pick out the people that have a soft spot for kids like Bennett by the way they interact with him.  Or how they gush over him.  Some just look and smile and others can't get over him.

But you know I've yet to get a rude comment.  From anyone really, in almost 2 years.  I'm sure it'll come some day and who knows how I'll react to it.  I think the most annoying comment I get about Bennett is that people think he's a girl!  Yes, we still have this problem, even though my boy is in a total boyish, non-cutesy outfit-people call him a girl!  Drives me crazy and I don't even know if cutting his hair would do any good!  Don't these people realize that being a child of mine, if he was a girl, I would have the biggest bow ever in his (her) hair and he'd (she'd) be covered in pink head to toe!?;)

LOL.

"Aww, how old is SHE?"  "Yes, the one with the boyish hat." ;)

Another comment we get from lots of people and many times it's from children close to Bennett's age, is "Look at the baby!" or from a toddler "Baby!!"  Ha!  He's probably older than you, kid!  That's okay, Bennett is little and still looks like he's 12 months old.  Not walking probably doesn't help either.  Aah, no biggie.

I don't know, I think he looks older than that baby on the left.  However she could be 5 months old for all I know!

It's funny because I used to be so concerned about what others thought and now I just don't care.  I'm proud of my son and very confident and comfortable {most of the time} with our situation and I think people feed off of that.  Kind of like "Hello, this is who we are, this is our family and I sure hope you'll accept us just as is."  And for the most part, actually for all parts- people do.

I kind of  really like that Bennett gives a little character to our family.  We're just a bit different and that's totally okay with me.  Sure we may always be "The family with the child that has Down syndrome" to local families or it would actually and unfortunately sound more like "The family that has the kid with Downs" or "The family with the Down syndrome child".  But hopefully I can help change that;)  And hopefully Bennett can help change the way some people think about people like him as he grows up.

For now we'll just let people notice him and maybe he'll bring a smile to their face:)