My daughter is just like other kids… but different. But aren’t
we all. We are all different and our differences are caused by many things: our
upbringing, our religion, where we live, and sometimes… genetics. I’m not going
to lie. I work with small children, ages 0 to 3 on a daily basis and sometimes
when I see younger children do things like walking so easily a little part of
my heart breaks. It breaks because I see how badly my daughter wants to run and
play and how hard it is for her to coordinate her little muscles. The more I
work with my kids at work and the more I come home to my little Natalie, the
more I realize things are not going to be easy for her.
On those days I’m comforted by a quote that has had a
special significance in my life: “A talent is formed in stillness. Character in
the world’s torrent.” –Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.
My daughter is going to have one amazing character. I can already
see it. She’s persistent, stubborn to the point that no one is going to talk
that girl into something she doesn’t think is right (right now it’s wearing
shoes), she has a contagious smile and a laugh that can make anyone join in.
She sometimes has meltdowns… usually over chocolate bunnies and mommy’s
reluctance to let her eat an entire one in one sitting but when the meltdown is
over its all hugs and “mom kiss”. She loves clothes, purses, sticker books,
books in general, and Animals. Oh buddy does she love animals. She shows
kindness to others in a way I haven’t seen in many other toddlers, almost like
she knows when someone is having a bad day. I’ll share one such story:
We took Natalie to my sister's
Halloween Party at work (She works at a nursing home). We had Natalie in her
new walker so she could walk around. Now anyone who knows Natalie knows she
doesn't just go up to just anyone, let alone smile and reach out for their
hands, but there was an old lady sitting by herself against the wall and
Natalie walked right up to her, smiled real
big and grabbed her hands. We invited the old lady to come over and eat with us
and Natibug was just all about this lady. Come to find out she had just moved
into the nursing home that day, she didn't know anyone and was feeling lonely
and she said Natalie had made her entire day.
I have never been more proud of
my child than in that moment. And it’s a memory I will take with me to my
grave.
Natalie is almost two and no she
can’t do everything that most kids her age can- YET. But who my daughter is isn’t
measured by what she can’t do. It’s measured in the smiles, the kindness she
shows to others, the persistence and most definitely the stubbornness that make
up her character already. And if this is
what her present is I can only imagine how bright her future will be.
