"He doesn't look like he has Down Syndrome"

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard, "He doesn't look like he has Down Syndrome," I'd be rich! Hey, I'm with ya! There are times I look at Colton, and I can't see it. He looks like any other typical baby. When we go out in public, people don't seem to notice. There have been a few times when I've had to tell people that he has it and you should see the look on their face! They're just as surprised as we were in the hospital! They also don't really know what to say. That's ok...it's surprising news...and it's not an easy pill to swallow.

However, there are times when I can totally tell he has it. It depends on the face he's making or the angle I'm looking at him. I can mostly see it in his eyes or when he's sticking out his tongue. I can also see it in the extra skin he has on the back of his neck, like a puppy. Here are a few pics where I can see it more...







The truth is...he has Down Syndrome. Eventually, everyone will be able to tell that he has it, because he does have it. You always wonder what your kids are going to look like as they get older, but with Colton, I think about it more often. I just don't want him to be self-conscious. I also don't want Weston to have to hear kids ask, "Why does your brother look like that?" But...it's gonna happen. I think it has more to do with people being ignorant than malicious. I'm just trying to prepare myself for it. Being able to see that he has DS, has its pros and cons. Pro: People will be more accepting of his behavior in public because they know he has it. Con: People are probably going to treat him differently and stare. But hey, we'll be fine. We have thick skin. To me, he'll always be precious. In my eyes, he's going to be the most handsome boy with DS there ever was. So right now, he may not look it....but as he gets older, I think it will be more obvious. But that's ok. Only time will tell...