My seven-year-old son had begged for a sibling for years, so when his baby sister Brenda was born, I thought his sudden obsession with sleeping under her crib was sweet. Then one night, I heard him whisper something through the baby monitor that made me stop in the hallway.<\/p>\n
My seven-year-old son, Ben, begged for a sibling for almost three years.<\/p>\n
Every birthday, every Christmas, every random Tuesday when he thought persistence might finally wear us down, he asked the same question.<\/p>\n
When Brenda was born, things became more complicated than we expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen am I getting a baby?\u201d<\/p>\n
So when my husband, Daniel, and I finally told him I was pregnant, Ben screamed so loudly our neighbor knocked to check whether someone was hurt.<\/p>\n
When Brenda was born, things became more complicated than we expected.<\/p>\n
The doctors explained that Brenda had Down syndrome and started walking us through tests, specialists, therapies, and things we might need to prepare for.<\/p>\n
The first time he held Brenda, he stared at her tiny face for about ten seconds.<\/p>\n
Daniel and I were overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
That first week, every appointment seemed to introduce a new question, and I barely knew which one to ask first.<\/p>\n
Ben wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
The first time he held Brenda, he stared at her tiny face for about ten seconds.<\/p>\n
He picked her clothes. He sang badly whenever she cried.<\/p>\n
Then he looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n
After that, Brenda became \u201chis baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
He picked her clothes. He sang badly whenever she cried. He showed her picture to cashiers, teachers, neighbors, and one confused delivery driver.<\/p>\n
I found him under Brenda\u2019s crib one morning with his pillow, blanket, and stuffed dinosaur.<\/p>\n
At night, he would stand beside the bassinet and whisper goodnight as if Brenda could already understand every word perfectly.<\/p>\n
For the first two weeks after we brought her home, I thought Ben was handling the transition better than any seven-year-old possibly could.<\/p>\n
Then he stopped sleeping in his bedroom.<\/p>\n
I found him under Brenda\u2019s crib one morning with his pillow, blanket, and stuffed dinosaur.<\/p>\n
I almost laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have a bed, you don\u2019t have to sleep here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBen, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
He blinked up at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cSleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have a bed, you don\u2019t have to sleep here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAn actual bed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Our son had waited years for a sister, and now he wanted to protect her.<\/p>\n
He shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like it here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I assumed it was sweet.<\/p>\n
Our son had waited years for a sister, and now he wanted to protect her.<\/p>\n
My mother-in-law, Diane, disagreed.<\/p>\n
Diane had been staying with us since Brenda came home. At first, I was grateful. She cooked, cleaned, folded laundry, and kept telling me to rest.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t encourage this.\u201d<\/p>\n
But when she saw Ben sleeping beneath the crib, she frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t encourage this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not encouraging anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen send him back to his room.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly not firmly enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe needs to understand that the baby isn\u2019t the center of the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n
I rolled my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane looked toward the crib.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr jealous.\u201d<\/p>\n
That annoyed me.<\/p>\n
\u201cBen loves her.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Ben slept under the crib again the next night.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren can love someone and still resent the attention they get.\u201d She lowered her voice. \u201cHe needs to understand that the baby isn\u2019t the center of the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s two weeks old, Diane.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m talking about Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n
I dismissed it.<\/p>\n
But Ben slept under the crib again the next night.<\/p>\n
By the fourth morning, the joke had faded, and Daniel and I started comparing notes about what we were missing.<\/p>\n
And the next.<\/p>\n
Every morning, I carried his pillow back to his room.<\/p>\n
Every night, somehow, he returned.<\/p>\n
By the fourth morning, the joke had faded, and Daniel and I started comparing notes about what we were missing.<\/p>\n
Daniel tried bribery.<\/p>\n
That was when I started thinking his behavior was strange.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you sleep in your bed all week, we\u2019ll get pizza Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want pizza.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou always want pizza.\u201d<\/p>\n
If I went upstairs to shower, I\u2019d come back and find Ben sitting beside the crib.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot that much.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was when I started thinking his behavior was strange.<\/p>\n
Then I noticed something else.<\/p>\n
Whenever Diane offered to watch Brenda, Ben appeared.<\/p>\n
If I went upstairs to shower, I\u2019d come back and find Ben sitting beside the crib.<\/p>\n
Once, Diane reached into the bassinet to pick Brenda up.<\/p>\n
If Daniel and I stepped outside for ten minutes, Ben refused to come with us.<\/p>\n
Once, Diane reached into the bassinet to pick Brenda up.<\/p>\n
Ben stepped between them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMove, sweetheart,\u201d Diane said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was embarrassed.<\/p>\n
He looked at me, then slowly stepped aside.<\/p>\n
\u201cBen.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stayed where he was.<\/p>\n
\u201cMove.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me, then slowly stepped aside.<\/p>\n
Later, I asked him what the problem was.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are you acting weird around her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Grandma upset you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are you acting weird around her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Diane kept making comments about Brenda.<\/p>\n
That became his answer for everything.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not.<\/p>\n
Nothing happened.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m fine.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Diane kept making comments about Brenda.<\/p>\n
One morning, she found me drinking coffee while Brenda slept against my chest.<\/p>\n
Not cruel comments. At least, they didn\u2019t sound cruel at first.<\/p>\n
One morning, she found me drinking coffee while Brenda slept against my chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look exhausted.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a newborn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, but this is different.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBrenda might require more from you than other children.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrenda might require more from you than other children.\u201d<\/p>\n
I hated hearing it.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s two weeks old.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying to be realistic.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was from a generation where people talked about disability differently. Sometimes badly.<\/p>\n
A few days later, after another sleepless night, she sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just saying love isn\u2019t always enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
I told myself she was worried.<\/p>\n
She was from a generation where people talked about disability differently. Sometimes badly.<\/p>\n
I thought she needed time.<\/p>\n
I woke shortly after two in the morning because I heard something through the baby monitor.<\/p>\n
Looking back, I can see how often she framed fear as practicality, but at the time, I heard concern instead.<\/p>\n
Then last Thursday happened.<\/p>\n
I woke shortly after two in the morning because I heard something through the baby monitor.<\/p>\n
At first, I thought Brenda was fussing.<\/p>\n
Then I realized someone was whispering.<\/p>\n
Daniel was asleep beside me.<\/p>\n
I sat up.<\/p>\n
Daniel was asleep beside me.<\/p>\n
The whisper came again.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was Ben.<\/p>\n
Ben was lying underneath Brenda\u2019s crib, gripping one of the bars.<\/p>\n
I slipped out of bed and walked toward the nursery.<\/p>\n
The hallway was dark.<\/p>\n
The nursery door was partly open.<\/p>\n
Ben was lying underneath Brenda\u2019s crib, gripping one of the bars.<\/p>\n
His eyes were open.<\/p>\n
Then he said something that made my entire body go cold.<\/p>\n
He whispered, \u201cI won\u2019t fall asleep this time.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stopped moving.<\/p>\n
Then he said something that made my entire body go cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t let Grandma do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n
His face had gone pale.<\/p>\n
He jumped so hard he hit his shoulder against the crib.<\/p>\n
I rushed inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey. It\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
His face had gone pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked toward the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said Grandma.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked toward the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cBen, what does Grandma do?\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n
My hands started shaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cI promised.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPromised what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n
My hands started shaking.<\/p>\n
I sat on the floor.<\/p>\n
He started crying.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho asked you to promise?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
He started crying.<\/p>\n
I reached for him.<\/p>\n
For a second, I almost felt relieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cBaby, you\u2019re not in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice came out tiny.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wakes Brenda up.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a second, I almost felt relieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He told me Diane sometimes came into the nursery after we were asleep.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma wakes her up at night.\u201d<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe Brenda cries and Grandma checks on her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben shook his head hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Brenda is sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n
He told me Diane sometimes came into the nursery after we were asleep.<\/p>\n
If Brenda started settling again, Diane kept disturbing her until she cried.<\/p>\n
She picked Brenda up.<\/p>\n
Unwrapped her.<\/p>\n
Turned on the bright lamp.<\/p>\n
Touched her feet and cheeks until she woke.<\/p>\n
If Brenda started settling again, Diane kept disturbing her until she cried.<\/p>\n
Three nights earlier, Diane had brought Brenda into our room around three.<\/p>\n
Then Diane carried her into our room.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe says Brenda woke up by herself,\u201d Ben whispered.<\/p>\n
I remembered.<\/p>\n
Three nights earlier, Diane had brought Brenda into our room around three.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s unsettled again,\u201d she\u2019d said.<\/p>\n
Before that, another night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
I looked at Ben.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many times?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked her why she kept waking Brenda.\u201d<\/p>\n
His chin trembled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried to make her stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben wiped his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said you and Dad need to understand what your life is going to be like.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked her why she kept waking Brenda.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did Grandma say?\u201d<\/p>\n
He stared at the carpet.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said you and Dad need to understand what your life is going to be like.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt sick.<\/p>\n
He kept rubbing one thumb over the dinosaur on his pajama sleeve, refusing to look toward the nursery door again.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said I was too little to understand. Then she told me not to upset you because you were already tired.\u201d<\/p>\n
He kept rubbing one thumb over the dinosaur on his pajama sleeve, refusing to look toward the nursery door again.<\/p>\n
Then I understood what he\u2019d meant about falling asleep.<\/p>\n
The first night Ben tried to guard Brenda, Diane saw him awake beneath the crib and left.<\/p>\n
So every night after that, he came back and tried to stay awake.<\/p>\n
Another night, he tried again.<\/p>\n
He fell asleep.<\/p>\n
When he woke, Diane was already carrying Brenda toward our bedroom.<\/p>\n
So every night after that, he came back and tried to stay awake.<\/p>\n
My seven-year-old had been losing sleep because he thought he was the only person protecting his sister.<\/p>\n
I woke Daniel.<\/p>\n
Daniel sat beside me while Ben stayed upstairs.<\/p>\n
Then I woke Diane.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t scream.<\/p>\n
Not at first.<\/p>\n
I told her to come downstairs.<\/p>\n
Daniel sat beside me while Ben stayed upstairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave you been deliberately waking Brenda?\u201d<\/p>\n
I asked one question.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave you been deliberately waking Brenda?\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane froze.<\/p>\n
That was enough.<\/p>\n
Daniel stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at him.<\/p>\n
I called the police.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can explain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen explain,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
She opened her mouth.<\/p>\n
Nothing came out.<\/p>\n
I called the police.<\/p>\n
Then, a few days later, I was rereading messages Diane had sent me.<\/p>\n
Brenda was examined that morning. Thankfully, she was fine.<\/p>\n
The police documented what we told them and explained that they would determine what, if anything, could be pursued further.<\/p>\n
Diane went to stay with her sister.<\/p>\n
I thought the nightmare was over.<\/p>\n
Then, a few days later, I was rereading messages Diane had sent me.<\/p>\n
Carol and her husband had experience raising children with additional needs.<\/p>\n
For weeks, she\u2019d been mentioning a distant relative named Carol.<\/p>\n
Carol and her husband had experience raising children with additional needs.<\/p>\n
At least, that was how Diane described them.<\/p>\n
One message read:<\/p>\n
I really think you should at least talk to Carol before things become too much.<\/p>\n
I had assumed Diane wanted me to ask Carol for advice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDiane said you wanted to talk to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now the wording felt different.<\/p>\n
I called Carol.<\/p>\n
She sounded happy to hear from me.<\/p>\n
Then confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cDiane said you wanted to talk to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she tell you why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout Brenda?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she tell you why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said you had experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carol went quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said you had experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not what Diane asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n
My chest tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think she meant Brenda at first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did she ask?\u201d<\/p>\n
Carol lowered her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe asked whether my husband and I would ever consider raising another child.\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t speak.<\/p>\n
Carol continued quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said you and Daniel might eventually realize you couldn\u2019t handle everything Brenda needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think she meant Brenda at first. I thought she was asking hypothetically.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat changed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said you and Daniel might eventually realize you couldn\u2019t handle everything Brenda needed. Then she asked what we\u2019d do if that happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
I hung up shaking.<\/p>\n
But she had already started planning for a future in which we gave up.<\/p>\n
Diane hadn\u2019t arranged anything.<\/p>\n
But she had already started planning for a future in which we gave up.<\/p>\n
That evening, Daniel called his mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane arrived looking exhausted.<\/p>\n
Her expression changed immediately.<\/p>\n
I put my phone on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spoke to Carol.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her expression changed immediately.<\/p>\n
Daniel saw it.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, what did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were trying to give away our daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane sat down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to prepare options.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOptions for what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor when this became too much.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were trying to give away our daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then you started waking Brenda every night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou asked another family whether they\u2019d raise her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked a question.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then you started waking Brenda every night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane\u2019s voice rose.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause neither of you was being realistic!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already have Ben. He had seven years with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel slammed his hand on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cRealistic about what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour life!\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed upstairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already have Ben. He had seven years with you. Now everything revolves around appointments, specialists, therapy\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy deliberately making her cry?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m thinking about everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. You\u2019re deciding for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m thinking about Brenda too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy deliberately making her cry?\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane\u2019s face crumpled.<\/p>\n
Then a voice came from the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cI needed you to see how difficult this could become.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou manufactured the difficulty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you weren\u2019t listening!\u201d<\/p>\n
Then a voice came from the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we wanted Brenda.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane went silent.<\/p>\n
We all turned.<\/p>\n
Ben stood there in dinosaur pajamas.<\/p>\n
Diane went silent.<\/p>\n
Ben looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou keep saying everything changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody answered.<\/p>\n
He frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was protecting you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we wanted her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel walked to the door and opened it.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, you need to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
She started crying.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLeave.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was protecting you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Afterward, I sat with Ben on the stairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Ben was protecting Brenda from you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane left.<\/p>\n
Afterward, I sat with Ben on the stairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI kept sending you back to bed. I thought you were being silly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should\u2019ve told me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know how to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should\u2019ve told me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
He hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma\u2019s an adult.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought adults know what\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n
I pulled him close.<\/p>\n
Diane was no longer part of our daily lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdults can be wrong too.\u201d<\/p>\n
He leaned against me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if an adult ever tells you to keep something secret because telling me would upset me, you tell me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if you\u2019ll get mad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Almost a year later, Brenda turned one.<\/p>\n
Diane was no longer part of our daily lives. Any contact happened under boundaries Daniel and I controlled.<\/p>\n
At Brenda\u2019s birthday, he helped put one candle on her cake.<\/p>\n
By then, Ben had stopped hovering whenever someone picked Brenda up. He was back to being her brother instead of her guard.<\/p>\n
At Brenda\u2019s birthday, he helped put one candle on her cake.<\/p>\n
My sister asked him, \u201cWhat did you wish for when your mom was pregnant?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI already got it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he dipped one finger into the cake and dabbed frosting onto Brenda\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n
Right then, Brenda grabbed a fistful of frosting and smeared it across his shirt.<\/p>\n
Ben stared down at himself.<\/p>\n
Then he dipped one finger into the cake and dabbed frosting onto Brenda\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe I should\u2019ve been more specific.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My seven-year-old son had begged for a sibling for years, so when his baby sister Brenda was born, I thought…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2942"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2944,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942\/revisions\/2944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dishdaily.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}