Woman #1, "Do you know the gender?"
Woman #2, "No, but it doesn't matter...as long as the baby is healthy."
Woman #1, "Yes, as long as the baby is healthy."
I'm going to be honest, it really was by the grace of God that I didn't turn around and speak my mind. I wanted to scream, "So what! What if your baby isn't born "healthy"? You are still going to love that child! It is still your child!" Apparently I had enough rational thinking to bite my tongue and not interject myself into their private conversation.
Since that day, that phrase that we so commonly hear pregnant woman and many others say when talking about an unborn baby, I can't get it out of my mind. I am 100% guilty of saying it myself. I did with all 3 pregnancies. I'm not saying I would ever wish the things Hailey has endured or will endure on anyone else's child. There is just so much more!
We always say "as long as they're healthy"...almost as if we are making a sacrifice by not having a preference on the gender. We love Hailey as much as we do her brothers. Medically speaking she may not have been born "healthy" but in our eyes, she is perfect! She completes our family!
This is what "unhealthy" looks like....
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| I was so excited by this one...she actually stopped herself from falling forward! |
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| I'm really tired, Mom! (I wish I was this flexible!) |
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| Mom, you haven't told me how to get out of this position. |
(I apologize for the rambling this morning...not much sleep last night! For some reason, I cannot get my feelings into words on the blog!) Happy Sunday!
what an awesome post- so true, I used to always say that line, "as long as my baby is healthy."
ReplyDeleteyour "unhealthy" baby sure is perfect!:)
My girlfriend just wrote about this exact subject in the voices section in swfl parent and child magazine. Her daughter had a stroke in utero. The saying should be " just hoping" not " as long as"... That leaves the impression you wont accept them if they are not.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I cringe when I hear a pregnant woman say "As long as its healthy" because we all know that "As long as its healthy" REALLY means..."As long as nothing is wrong with it"... And our babies are not considered "healthy" in many peoples eyes.
ReplyDeleteAnd you hit it dead on...So what if your baby is not "healthy" its STILL YOUR BABY...You STILL love them!
Hailey is making great progress with the sitting!!
I think we can all relate to that....."as long as my baby is healthy". I KNOW that I said that with both of my pregnancies.
ReplyDeleteHailey is doing awesome and is beautiful!!
BTW, I can totally relate with you about your thoughts not making it into words on your blog. I have all these great ideas that I want to express but I just don't have the fluency of words to get it on the blog.