“Bubba, bubba, bubba,” my daughter sings as she gestures towards her little brother.
“Stop it, Jaycee,” Elijah says in exacerbated tone.
“Oh, bubba,” Jaycee happily replies, as she leans in for a hug.
I love watching the relationship between my children grow. Years ago, they cuddled up on her bed and watched Disney Jr. together. They sat on my lap as I read stories about trains or animals. Now, my lap isn’t able to hold my 10-year-old son and teenaged daughter, but sometimes we try. The kids bond now while playing hide-and-seek, listening to music, and watching Marvel movies. Sometimes, Jaycee likes to watch the same scene repeatedly on her iPad. Elijah patiently waits for her to let the movie play without interruption, but sometimes he understandably gives up.
Jaycee’s Down Syndrome and medical conditions have influenced their relationship. While Elijah is younger, he often acts like an older brother. He looks out for her even though she is bigger in size. They understand each other, even with her limited speech.
Each year for Christmas, my children exchange gifts. I recently warned my son that he would soon need to come up with a gift idea for his sister. Elijah quickly thought of getting Jaycee a stand for her iPad. It was a wonderful idea. Jaycee loves her iPad, and she has recently started using a napkin holder as a makeshift stand. I complimented him on his considerate gift, but secretly wished I had thought of it.
A few days later, Elijah gleamed as he purchased Jaycee’s gift. My son's present showed thoughtfulness, and I was thrilled. But it should not come as a surprise.
When Jaycee is tired and needs to use her wheelchair, Elijah offers to push her for me. Elijah instinctively grabs Jaycee’s hand and extends his encouragement when she is scared at the doctor’s office. He has observed me failing to get Jaycee to take her medication and jumped in with his help. Most of the time, he graciously complies with her numerous requests for hugs or high-fives.
He brings his best gift to her, which is simply himself. He doesn’t have to do anything special. His sister completely adores him because of the relationship they have as siblings. He doesn’t have to give the best gift to earn her love. He gives selflessly to her all year long without many accolades.
On Christmas morning, Jaycee will be excited when she realizes her brother purchased her the perfect iPad accessory. I bet they will watch Thor Ragnarok on her iPad, now positioned upright. After Thor’s escape at the beginning, she’ll probably fast-forward to the scene where Hulk starts fighting Thor. They will be enjoying each other and cheering on their characters.
That is the BEST gift I could ever ask for as a parent.
Evana is a wife and mother of two children. Since becoming a parent, Evana has spent many hours driving to specialty appointments, praying beside a hospital bed, and learning about her children’s diagnoses. Evana is also a pediatric speech-language pathologist and serves children with autism, feeding disorders, and other developmental delays. You can connect with Evana on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog, A Special Purposed Life. You can also read more about her family’s story in her book, Badges of Motherhood: One Mother’s Story about Family, Down syndrome, Hospitals, and Faith.
