A Different Kind of Normal, Part 3
Written By Charlotte Meryman
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Getting to bedtime: They're the witching hours for most of us — only more so for the Foard family.
The series so far: Michelle and Jim Foard have a son, Jimmy, 5, and a daughter, Maddie, 2. Jimmy was born with Alfi's syndrome, a rare chromosomal disorder in which part of the ninth chromosome is missing. He also shows about half the signs for autism. In Part 1, Jimmy navigated the minefields of an average birthday party. In Part 2, we watched him struggle to speak his first words. Throughout, the Foards have shown us that to be Jimmy's parents is to embrace "a different kind of perfect," as Michelle says, and "a different kind of normal."
6:15 p.m. Jimmy Foard is scootched up to the kitchen table, picking at spirals of take-out macaroni and cheese. His sister and his parents dig into their own dinners: more noodles, a meatball panini, a minipizza. Supper is late, thanks to Jimmy's weekly music therapy class. Everyone is a little weary. Jimmy gazes hopefully at his father. "Kuh, kuh, kuh," he says. "No, Jimmy, no computer now," says Jim. "Finish your dinner." He takes Jimmy's fork, spears several noodles, and sets the fork in front of his son, who reflexively lifts it to his mouth.
