What is that on your face?

At this point in Ayden's life, I feel I have become callused to the things people say about his Port Wine Stain.  Most the time it is a simple question out of curiosity and I feel I would rather have questions than stares or obnoxious comments made as they feel I am out of ear shot.  Yet after this being said, I think that there is a way to ask appropriately.  Lets be reasonable here, you don't blatantly ask what is that on his face or try to diagnose what is on his face.  I don't come over to you and ask you if your out-of-control child has a learning disability.  I know it sounds harsh, but I just cannot help but get defensive as a mom and frustrated with inconsiderate folks.  I think the most alarming thing I have heard so far, and realize Ayden is only 20 months old so there is plenty of time for this one to be trumped, is a mom told her children that she was so grateful that they had perfect skin.  Really lady, I am just an aisle over in the grocery store and Ayden is perfect regardless if he has a birthmark on the side of his face.

Okay, now that I have had my rant, I truly do not mind questions about Ayden's PWS.  I do question where they learned how to ask strangers such blunt questions.  I have learned that the most gentle and honest questions come from children.  I normally hear the most questions after Ayden has had a treatment and is swollen and bruised.  It has been almost two weeks since his treatment, but he is still bruised so when Ayden went with me to help out at preschool the other day, many kids noticed his PWS.  They were great questions.  Why is his skin a different color on his one cheek?  Is he in pain?  Can I touch his face to see if it feels like mine? (This one was a little interesting, but I understood where they were coming from.)  These kids asked their questions and were excited about Ayden's difference.  They were seriously busting out birthmarks and moles and trying to trump what he had. It was a serious competition to be the most unique or different.

I love how innocent and accepting little kids are.  What happens by the time people become adults? 

I know I need to put my big girl panties and not let the questions and comments get under my skin, but it is hard not to as I know my son will deal with this his entire life.  It breaks my heart at times that he will experience bullying for something that makes him stand out and be unique as an individual, but I also know that we are getting him treatment to lighten the stain to help make it as noticeable as it was at birth.  I know he was given this "obstacle" or difference in life from God for a reason, and with his personality and his defensive big sister he will be just fine, but the momma bear in me just wants me to protect him from the cruelty of the world.