As us Down Syndrome moms know, our kiddos may not be sitting up as early as their typically developing peers.  So, it isn’t as easy for me to carry him out of the car seat on my hip and still be able to use one hand to function.

On Thursday, there was a woman in the WalMart parking lot who saw me putting Nicholas from the stroller to the car in his car seat.  I can’t imagine the sight she saw, because I was having quite the struggle-filled day.  I had called in sick from work because Nicholas’ cold was still going strong and the doctor wanted to give him a re-check.  I ended up having to lug him to the store because we didn’t have some things we needed.  It was also lightly drizzling outside.  So, with my bun flopping back and forth on top of my head, I am sure the rookie-mom in me was shining bright.

Anyway, the woman asked me how old he was, and I smiled and said ” almost eight months!”  She then said, “Oh my god you need to start getting him out of that car seat and carrying him around!”

Eye roll moment!  First of all, beyond the fact that my boy has Down Syndrome and wouldn’t be able to sit up in the cart on his own, maybe I did not want him being exposed to the germs of Walmart when he was already sick!  Also, isn’t eight months pretty early for typical kids to be sitting up anyway?

Yes, this kid is getting heavy, and I am sure I look like I am struggling hard at times when I have to carry him around in a car seat, but I am not going to let the fact that he can’t sit up yet keep me from bringing him places!

Sure, Nicholas isn’t sitting up yet.  But guess what he can do?  He can go to restaurants with me and be social and excited without ever getting upset!  He can be laid down to go to bed at night while he is wide awake and lull himself to sleep within five minutes.  He wakes me up in the morning not by crying, but quietly saying “ahhhh” as if he is calling me.  I don’t know a lot of babies who are as easy going as him!

Moms, when people say these things to you that make you feel the need to say “well he can’t do that yet, my son is a little behind because he has Down Syndrome”, don’t lose sight of the awesome things your baby can do!

Check out this chunky monkey actually enjoying his visit to the doctor. If that extra chromosome is what made Nicholas the kind of baby that can just roll with the punches, then I couldn’t be happier that he has it!