31 for 21: What I wish people would understand....

I started this yesterday before our internet crashed....I was extremely upset that I wasn't able to stick with my commitment of blogging for 31 days.  I almost drove to McD's to use their wireless around 11 p.m. last night after spending an hour on the phone with our internet provider.  I thought that was borderline obsessive so I'm going to try to post twice today :-)  We won't have internet until Monday so I guess my posts will come from McDs parking lot all weekend :-)

Today is Thursday again.  Many of us who committed to the 31 for 21 challenge agreed to speak on the same topic today.  Today's topic:  What I Wish People Would "Get" (or Understand) about DS.  I feel like that is most of what my blogs have been about this month.

Practicing my sitting

She "had" to get the topper!

There is so much that I want people to take from my blog this month....

• Down syndrome is genetic.  You can not cure it or pray to God that it will go away.  It is a part of my daughter, just like your son has blue eyes or your daughter has freckles.
• There is no mild or severe case....you either have it or you don't.  It affects every gene in her body.
• Down syndrome is not the end of the world!  It will not ruin your life.  It will enhance your life. 
• DS doesn't have to be the pink elephant in the room.  You can talk to us about every day stuff or you can ask questions about DS if you want.  Don't ignore us because the unknown makes you uncomfortable.  
• We are a family just like everyone else.  We have daily rituals...breakfast, school, lunch, dinner, homework, baths, bedtime, chores, soccer, etc.
• She is more alike her brothers and her cousins than she is different
• She doesn't need your pity or your apologies.
• She is a person, a little girl, a sister, a daughter, a niece, a cousin, a granddaughter and later in a life, a friend...she has thoughts, feelings, emotions...just as any child.  Treat her like that!

No our life is not all rainbows and unicorns but is anyone's?

Hailey is a gift from God...just like all children!

Celebrating Daddy's birthday

 

No...we didn't let her have the entire thing....she preferred smashing it.  She didn't eat any of it except licking it off the highchair.