Babies!

When mom became pregnant with me, she was over the moon with joy.  Little did she know how wonderful I really was going to become in the years ahead. He he he! Sadly, not others felt that a blind person having a baby was a good decision.  Again, ugly stereotypes and ignorance exist in the strangest of places. One day shortly after learning about her pregnancy mom was in the employee bathroom and one of her co-workers asked if she was going to abort me. My mom was of course very offended by this question, as I'm sure most of us would have been if we were in her shoes.  She felt entirely capable of caring for me and though it was difficult at times, she did it, and did a pretty amazing job if I do say so myself. 

Many of us parents have a large support system when we come home from the hospital with our babies, but sadly, my mom did not.  My mother's parents had both already passed away before I was born but my dad's mom, Clara was able to be there for mom in the beginning. Grandma helped mom learn to sterilize bottles, work around the umbilical cord (because let's face it, it's kinda gross), and dress me.  Mom's coordination is not very good and learning to do the snaps and have them line up was quite a challenge.  Mom fortunately, already knew how to change a diaper due to some of her baby sitting experience as a teenager, but I still don't know how she didn't puke on me every time I pooped.  I can guarantee you that she gagged, every time. 

Many people wonder how she bathed me and I think that is probably a fear of many parents.  Mom is no different, but all you need to do is think outside of the box a little.  Between mom and grandma a plan was devised.  There were baby baths back then, and it allowed my head to be elevated enough to where I didn't slide and the water wasn't close to my head.  As I got bigger, it was just easier for mom to bath me in the sink. So, she would put a towel in the the bottom to keep me from sliding around then plop me in.  It was a sad day for mom when I discovered the sprayer.  I'm sure you can imagine what happened on your own. 

Many people from mom's office wanted to come and visit.  I'm sure much of it was out of pure curiosity   of a blind mother caring for a new baby rather than just wanting to see a newborn.  They came in droves, 3 or 4 to a group.  They held me and played with me and cooed at me, but the real fun was if I peed or pooped so they could watch mom change my diaper.  They would follow her to the back of the house and just gawk as they watched the process. Mom and I believe that them being able to see her at home, with her child, instilled a new level of respect in her abilities.  Maybe she wasn't so different after all.

Mom also had many blind friends and they came to visit as well.  Believe it or not, mom is not the only wonderful blind mom out there, there are many of them and I'm blessed enough to have some them as a part of my extended family to this day. Mom always let her friends hold me, believe it or not many people don't want a person with blindness to hold their children, because they automatically think the worst.  She always wanted them to have a chance to feel what sweetness that only new babies can instill in the hearts of her friends and to give them the trust that she felt they deserved. 

Some people wonder about my clothes and how mom picked them out.  Probably not much different that what you might look for in your own clothes.  She always wanted things that felt nice and pretty tactually.  She liked me to be in girlie clothes with smocking and ruffles, things you will not see me ever were now. My grandmother, who was probably the second most wonderful woman to ever walk this earth in my eyes, made many of my clothes and she made them so that they were easy for my mom to find what matched and to put on without too much fuss. 

Now, what I'm going to tell you next is what nightmares are made of.  I'm afraid that some of you may never look at me and mom the same way after I tell you this next story.  This tale is not one I will discuss with you in public, if we meet on a street, don't bring this up. Keep it to yourself and laugh if you must, but again I ask you, don't talk to me about it.  It was a cold winter day and my mom had two friends visiting.  One of them could see and the other was totally blind.  They had been discussing my bathroom habits, as all of us parents do.  Evidently, a consensus was reached that I was constipated. A plan of action was put into motion.  Our sighted friend, Mary, suggested that mom give me a suppository and mom agreed that this just might do the trick.  So, Mary held my little legs in the air while mom unwrapped the suppository and began to search for the right orifice.  Mom felt the crevices and somehow chose the wrong one.  Mary, was talking to, mom's other friend, Ann at the time and didn't see where mom slipped the glycerin bullet but when I began to cry, she knew something did not go as planned.  Every since then, it has been said that I lost my virginity to a glycerin suppository. I am thankful to have this story behind us.