"Normal"

 

  I love that one of the blogs I read refers to kids with no special needs as "typical" rather than "normal." After all, what is "normal" anyway?? I've yet to meet anyone that I would describe as being normal. When I tell people that my son is deaf or when they notice his hearing aids, I have a great sense of pride. His signing vocabulary is more than fifty words. He is easy going and very happy. He is attentive and patient, which is a very rare thing for a child his age.

  My husband and I were asking ourselves today if we thought E would be the same if he were a "typical" kid. Honestly, I don't think so. I think all of his experiences in his little life have molded him. He is attentive because every moment is a teaching moment in our house. He is patient because he has had to get used to waiting in doctor's offices, being prodded and examined, and loooooong drives to get to said offices. He is happy because he has two parents who are totally invested in him in every way. Some of the things we love are just purely E, but I really think others are born from our experiences.
I grew up hearing my mom say, "normal is boring!" I really believe that, if our lives suddenly became "normal," we really would find that we would be very bored indeed :-)