{31 for 21} Perfection

Kennedy is perfect, in absolutely every way.  There was never a doubt in my mind about this.  When she was born I was scared to death.  There were fears about her health, her future, and the unknown.  But never once did I feel like having an extra chromosome made her less than perfect.  However, I know that there are some people in society that perceive anyone with a disability as not being perfect.  Not just Trisomy 21, but any disability.  My fear is that people will perceive her as not being normal or not being perfect, just because she has an extra chromosome or what they consider "different." 

Every day I am reminded just how perfect she is.  The way she smiles, the way she laughs, the way she looks at me with her big beautiful eyes.  The pure joy that I see in her face.  The song "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars pretty much sums up how I feel about Kennedy.  Everything about her is perfect, and I wouldn't change her.  That's not to say that I don't wish she didn't have to work so hard, and I wish she didn't have to face the obstacles that she will likely face in life.  I hope she never has to deal with anyone who perceives her as anything less than the perfect individual that she is, but unfortunately, she probably will.

I've seen a lot of videos and read a lot of stories, blogs, and articles since Kennedy was born.  Many have brought tears to my eyes.  Some tears of sadness, but mostly tears of joy and happiness.  The link below is no exception.  This story is truly amazing.  I highly suggest you take the time to watch it.  But be warned, it's best to have a box of tissues near by.

E:60 - Perfect

And speaking of perfection.  Here are some photos from yesterday.  Kennedy had her first trip to the arcade.  Despite being VERY overtired she enjoyed every minute of the time she spent at Dave & Buster's.

Dancing with Grandma at the table!

Winning big!

Yay!  So proud of her winnings, clapping for how well she did.

Moving on to the next game, watching closely to see her points add up!

Playing the next round!

Tickets adding up quick!

So proud and ready to cash in her tickets!

Changing Perceptions

When I started this blog (over a year ago!) I did it with many intentions.  As a way for me to get my feelings out on paper, and to document our journey so I would never forget anything.  A way to keep friends and family informed.  Because I learned so much from reading others blogs, I had hope that mine would one day help someone else.  And although I didn't have it in mind when I started the blog, I decided that I wanted Kennedy (and her blog) to help change people's perception of Down syndrome, and to educate them about how wonderful life really is. 

It seems like that's a mission that a lot of parents of special needs children have.  We should not have to convince people that all life is valuable, or that Down syndrome doesn't mean your world is no longer "normal."  I read a post from a physician this morning.  She has a child with Down syndrome, and she admitted her fears upon getting the diagnosis, and the discovery that medical school did not provide her with a real life example of what Down syndrome was.  She's not set out to change that.  Sadly, she's met some resistance.  I know for a fact that Kennedy (and this blog) have changed at least a few people's perception of Down syndrome.  For me, changing one person's perception makes a difference.  But I'm not going to stop there.  You can read Dr. Julia Kinder's article here. 

Life really is normal for us.  Better than normal actually.  Sure, we have a few more appointments, and Kennedy may not be doing everything "by the books" but the same can hold true for a child with 46 chromosomes too.  Right now, as I sit here typing this, I'm watching Kennedy crawl around, in search of the Cheerios she left on the floor last night.  Sadly, she doesn't know that mommy cleaned up 99% of them after she went to bed.  Yes, *most* kids her age are walking.  But I'm okay with crawling.  She will walk when she's ready, just like any child. 

Here's some photos from last week's adventures on the fake grass.  I finally got around to getting unpacked and downloading them.  Maybe now that our marathon travels are over, I can get back to regular blogging (but don't hold your breath, something always comes up.) 

Mommy it's windy out!!!!!

 But I think I like it!

 This is much better.  My piggies aren't blowing around.

 Can we please get fake grass at home???

I promise, I will use it all the time!

Grandma?  Will you buy me fake grass?

 

On that note...Kennedy has given up her hunt for Cheerios and is now making a toy out of the DVR.  Guess it's time for a new activity!