Understanding Hannah

My youngest daughter is a absolute nutcase. Her brain is a hodgepodge of crisscrossed wires that make her sister, who has Down Syndrome, seem completely rational by comparison.

For instance when Alexis wants something, it makes sense. She loves the television, waffles and her stuffed lion. In that order. If she is unhappy we can almost bet that one of the aforementioned items will make her happy. She gives awesome hugs, laughs hysterically when I tickle her and a game of peek-a-poo or silly faces can cheer her up in a hurry. Overall Alexis makes sense. She's not easy, but at least she is understandable.

Hannah is completely unpredictable. Hannah, who on any given day will wake up screaming something completely unbelievable. Here is a sampling from the short list. "I'm a girl! Hannah's a girl!","Mommy hurry! Hurry mommy I broke my leg!" Or my personal favorite. "I want a Happy Thanksgiving!"

This one took a bit of explaining. After a good 4 minutes of Daddy, who on any given day will be called, Mommy, Dad or Bo (please don't ask), trying to explain what Thanksgiving is and why I won't give it to my daughter.

"Please Dad, Hannah needs a Happy Thanksgiving."
"Hannah, I can't give it to you...uhmm, Here."
I extend an empty hand
"This is a Happy Thanksgiving. It's just a day. Not something I can give you."

After a bit of this, she walks away. I'm sure she already sees me as a senile old man, who obviously doesn't get it. Then for no apparent reason she'll run back in the room proclaiming that her friend the mirror is now named "Er Hannah". No we have no idea why.

I'm not saying that I'm not partially responsible for her condition. Hannah and I play strange games. Games like, "Steal the hat from the talking camel with the Indian accent" and other traditional Brown favorites like, "Put the flashlight in your mouth and groan", "Sing and tickle", "Jump on the couch pillow, then steal second base", "Spin till you hurl" or one of my personal favorites, "Clumsy Frankenstein Monster falling down in the hallway".

So is it's no wonder that the kid is bizarre. I mean who wouldn't be with this sort of a training regiment? I guess the point of this post is that I think she has one of the most interesting imaginations ever. I love coming home at night and having Patricia catch me up on all the quirky Hannah news.

"She ate her imaginary friends today."

"Okay, well....that's a little weird."

"Oh and Grandma had to help her get her face back on, after it slipped off onto the sidewalk."

"Hmm. So, just another typical day here?"

"Absolutely."