Never Alone

I had one of those moments where I knew I wasn't alone. No matter the struggle, no matter the pain, things could be better but things could be a lot worst and I'm not the only one going through a difficult journey with a baby.
       I was holding Mason in the waiting room at the clinic to get his RSV shot. This lady took her tiny little baby out of his car seat and held him. She looked at me and smiled. Those awkward moments. So I thought I would strike up a conversation. I told her how adorable her little man was and asked her how old he was. She looked at him, sighed, and looked at me answering 9 months. Her baby was probably 11 lbs IF that. She said he was born at 25 weeks, he was a preemie. I said " A miracle baby for sure"  She asked how old Mason was and I told her also 9 months.(19lbs) She said "ohhh that's how big my guy should be then." I told her that Mason was born with Downs and is actually much smaller then he is supposed to be as well.
      She told me a little bit about her journey. She told me her lil guy was born at one pound and a couple ounces. He was the size of her husbands hand. She continued telling me that her baby got fluid in the brain causing his head to increase in size. He had to have surgery to get the fluid out. The pressure of the fluid caused him to be deaf. He was wearing tiny little hearing aids. And with the surgery he had to have a metal plate put in. I could see where the plate was. Regardless this baby was absolutely adorable. He didn't have much of a baby face I told her he had such a little man face. He lifted his eye brows when he would smile and had huge dimples. She laughed.
      I told her Mason was in the NICU also and told her it seemed crazy because here is my 7lb chunk baby in a room where there are these TINY babies. She laughed. She asked me alot of questions about Down syndrome and I was curious about Preemie babies as well. I have never met someone who had a preemie like she did. Made for a good conversation.
      She asked me " Do you ever get discouraged?"
What kind of question is that ABSOLUTELY! I told her until I had Mason I  knew NOTHING about downs. The scariest part is not knowing what lies ahead. I told her Mason having Downs isn't the challenge. He is perfect. The challenge is me. To slow down, to enjoy the little moments, to be patient, and to breathe! She said she felt the same way. She said she tells everyone her baby is 3 months. To avoid making her feel bad and to avoid all the questions.
        Her baby has to see all the same therapist and was on oxygen the first several months of his life. As we are talking I told her how nice it is to talk to someone who has the same fears, doubts, worries, concerns and goes through the same thing as I do. She agreed.
      The lord has opened my eyes and for that I am thankful. :)