Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Erica America

My Sweetie Pie

On June 1st, my sweetie pie niece, my baby, Erica, will graduate from high school. The day that she was born 20 Novembers ago, my brother called to tell me that she'd been born and then called 10 minutes later with tears in his throat to tell me that she had Down's Syndrome.  I cried hard for 10 minutes in my bosses' office and then I did some research. Even then, there were lots of words like "retardation" and "limitations" and the whole family mourned our dashed expectations for this first child, grandchild and niece. But like so many experiences in life, I didn't have a clue. From the moment I met my little Boo Boo when she was three months old, she's had a hold o' my heart.

Like so many people who are labeled early on, Erica defies expectation.  She and I bonded over songs like the Name Game, a love of toast, a passion for floating in swimming pools and sheer cheeky mischeiviousness. She learned how to play her videos on the VCR early on and memorizes lines of dialog. She's survived some congenital abnormalities including a broken neck. She won a gold medal running in the Special Olympics. She's a cheerleader on a Down's Syndrome cheerleading team. When we speak on the phone she says "Hi Jo Jo," and then listens to me chatter and laughs and laughs. She loves her long hair and necklaces and long dresses and she loves to snatch my glasses off. Because her parents are wise and strong she's developed a lot of independent skills that were probably unthinkable a generation ago.

I remember that early research which read that people with Down's Syndrome have sweet dispositions--what an understatement. Erica is the most loving person I know. When we see each other, our joy is mutual and contagious.  And though it's still painful to contemplate what her life would have been like if she'd been "normal", I can't imagine it would be more full of love.

So when someone asked me recently what a Down's Syndrome kid would understand about graduating from high school, I couldn't put my finger on exactly what Erica will understand about the ceremony or it's implications. But what she will understand is that her family is gathered about her, she is being celebrated along with her friends, she gets to wear her pretty clothes (and maybe some lip gloss), and that she is very, very loved.

And we'll sing!

Erica America and JoJo

1 comment:

Smapdi said...

This was absolutely lovely. Everything you have told me about Erica echoes what you have written here. She sounds like an amazing person who is lucky to have the support and love of her family...and especially the support and love of a very special aunt.