A Day in the Life

I'm writing this blog post as part of a blog hop for World Down Syndrome Day (which is March 21st).  I realize it sounds cliche, but honestly, our days don't look much different than they did before Hailey.  We have 3 children now instead of 2...that in itself adds a little more chaos.  Our days aren't much different than they were when Ian was 3.

I think I'll start with what our day isn't.  Our day is not sad.  I do not have a little girl who is quiet and sitting in the corner drooling.  Our day is not full of doctor's appointments.  Our days are not high maintenance.  Our days do not revolve around Hailey.  Our days are not dedicated to Down syndrome.

Our days are a little different now that Hailey has started preschool.  Our day starts getting everyone fed and making sure the boys don't miss their bus.  This week, we aren't doing well with that one.  Ian has missed his twice this week...good thing it is only a mile from home.  Hailey and I hang out at home in the mornings.  A little Doc McStuffins, a little reading, a few puzzles (a few messes and a lot of sass) and then we eat lunch before I drive her to school.  I kiss my peanut good-bye and she is off doing her thing.  I have two hours of "free" time.  I use that term loosely because it is generally running errands for the household.

By that time, Ian's bus is at home and we drive to Hailey's school for pick up.  Our evening is filled with kids playing outside (when the weather cooperates), homework, dinner and baths.  Bedtime wraps it up.  Hailey is much easier to put to bed than her brothers.  They are much higher maintenance.

So you see, our days look similar to yours.  We have boys' sports practices some days and Hailey does have doctor appointments occasionally, but we are fortunate that they are only maintenance appointments and she is rather healthy.

We vacation like other families...we go out to restaurants like other families.  My children squabble and bicker like other children and Hailey likes to pester her brothers.

Down syndrome is nothing that I expected.  It is something I didn't want.  It is something I feared.  Down syndrome is everything I didn't think it was and nothing that I thought it was.  It has challenged me in ways I didn't think I was strong enough for and it has rewarded me like nothing before.  

I'm not sure what our life would be like without Hailey.  She definitely completes our family!

Here are a few pics from Hailey's days at school....

Please check out other "A Day in the Life" blogs below: