Play Date at the Museum Center

We are very fortunate to live in a metro area with a fabulous Down syndrome association.  The Greater Cincinnati Down Syndrome Association goes back and forth with the association in Kansas City for first and second largest associations in the nation.  They sponsor lots of social activities, education series, and free classes (sign language, yoga, dramakenetics, etc) for our loved ones with Ds.  Due to the size of our association, we are broken up into several smaller groups.  Some of the groups are geographic in nature:  Eastside, KY, etc. and some are by birth year.  Hailey is a proud member of the 2011 group.  I honestly do not know the exact number, but I know there are 23 in our facebook group.  We "try" to get together once a month, but sometimes that doesn't happen.  We have a hard time making some of the events because of the boys' sports.  When we do make it, I love watching Hailey socialize with other little ones with Ds (and mom loves hanging out with the other families).

Several months ago, one of the moms and I noticed how alike our daughters are in personality.  They are both the youngest of 3 children.  We decided to meet up at the Museum Center (they have a fabulous children's area).  Hailey likes play dates...she loves kids.  I think it is important for her to have play dates with both typical and atypical children.  The majority of her classmates will be typical children.  However, I think it is important to know that she isn't the only little girl with Ds.  We teach our children that differences are what makes us unique and beautiful.

It didn't take long for Genevieve's mom and I long to realize our daughters had met their match.  They are both sassy, bossy, and don't let others push them around (actually they got a little pushy with one another when they were invading one another's personal space).  Both girls seemed to have a lot of fun, even if they wore Melissa and I out!  Impulse control is one thing we need to work on...they like to wander.

Some days I like to watch the reaction of others when they see more than one child with Ds.  Some stared a little too long out of curiosity.  Some sat watching the girls with the biggest smiles on their faces.  Who knows what was going on in their minds.  I didn't really care, I was too busy watching the girls have fun.

Gen right after she decided to sample the sand

Hello....can someone get this kid to stop stealing my shovel?  His mom won't.

Hailey loves playing in the water

Love that smile!!!

Looks like Gen is baby hoarding, but Hailey is just trying to escape

Ahhhh...I'm just going to hang out here for a bit.

But not for too long.

Cinderella mopping the floors.

Separate frigs works out well.

Separate works better because sharing the same doesn't always work.....this was right before they started elbowing one another.

Hailey reorganizing

Right before she swatted the boy for touching "her" car

Always on the go

Such cuties!!!