The Same But Different

It is already Day 4 of this challenge and I'm totally at a loss on what to post. I feel like I should be putting up some posts in relation to DS, seeing as that is what got me into this challenge in the first place. I've been thinking long and hard about it and I just kept coming up blank, then it hit me. When William was born I remember having so many emotions, more than I thought would be possible to feel at one time. Over and over we were told what he couldn't or wouldn't do. This probably broke my heart the most. I just wanted him to grow up like any other little boy, without labels or limitations. Many prayers were offered on his behalf with those specific words in mind. Now almost 5 years later I feel like that defines him entirely. If I were asked the question, "what's it like raising a child with Down Syndrome," my honest answer would probably be, "I don't know." William is my oldest child, I know no different. He is rambunctious, stubborn (to the core!), wild and crazy, loving, concerned about others...the list could go on and on. But to me all of these things are qualities of a any 4 year old boy.
Of course there are things we struggle with from day to day. I wish, more than anything, he could sit down and have a conversation with me and I suppose we do sometimes, in our own way. I am reminded of a conversation I had with my cousin about a year ago. He was 6 (or 7) at the time. William was signing for a drink and I responded to him "you want a drink?" which he nodded "yes." Then this is how my conversation with Max went:
Max:How can you understand what he is saying?
Me: Oh because I'm his mom, he uses his hands to talk instead of his mouth.
Max: Was he born that way?
Me: Yeah
Max: Just like I was born with allergies?
I love how kids can put things into perspective for us. It was then I realized that we are all born with "things." Max has allergies, I still have one of my baby teeth still in because the adult tooth is laying crooked in my gums, I have a niece born who partially blind, we all have things were were born with. We are all very different and yet just the same too.