Baby Down syndrome

The twins, who are 4, have finally picked up on the fact that something's up with their baby brother. When I took him to the ped the other morning for his cough, the girls came along for the ride and apparently picked up on the doctor saying something about "Often, babies with Down syndrome . . . ." Later in the day, Daisy asked me, "Mommy, what's Baby Down Syndrome?" It didn't register at first that she had picked up on it that morning, so I asked her, "Where did you learn that?" "At the doctor," she said. Oh, yes, now I remember . . . So, how do you explain Down syndrome to a four-year-old (or rather, a pair of them)? I was honestly at a loss for words. All I could manage was, "It's something Finn has that might make him learn a little slower." Wow, that sounds so crummy, and it's really not a good explanation. I'm so weary of it all right now, though - everything - and I just couldn't come up with anything better.

So the twins do NOT have a good understanding of what Down syndrome is. They apparently think it's: (a) something really neat, because Annabelle has since said, "I want Down syndrome!" with a grin on her face, and (b) something temporary, because Daisy keeps asking me now, "Does Finn still have Baby Down syndrome today?" Annabelle also informed me this morning, "Mommy, I know someone else who has Down syndrome." "Who?" I asked her. "Rock Obama!" she said.

Sigh.