31 for 21

Today kicks off National Down Syndrome Awarness Month, as well as the Get It Down 31 for 21 challenge (the challenge is to blog everyday of October, 31 days, in honor of Ds Awarness month hence the 21 ya know as in Trisomy 21.) I attempted this last year but ran in to some difficulty when my computer crashed, so this year I will cross my fingers and really try.

Why do this?? You may ask... well, the short answer is that I hope that just one new person out there will stumble across my blog, and see that our life is not so different as the "typical" family. In fact I would say that our family is very much typical. We have our ups and downs, good days and bad days, stress and happiness but most of all we have a lot of love.

When I was told right after Ella's birth that the doctors thought she had Down syndrome my world collapsed. To say I was devistated would be an understatement. I had no hope for the future and I remember several times saying "I just want my old life back." I really had no idea what caused Down syndrome and what the prognosis for my new baby was, just that she was different, and different was bad, I did not want different.

The whole reason I started this blog (besides the fact that it is way easier to post pictures to share with my family) is to try to prevent a new parent or a family that just recieved a prenatal diagnosis from experiencing the same hopelessness that I did. We are as blessed to have Ella in our lives, as we are blessed to have Hunter. Every child brings their own set of joys and challenges and kids with Down syndrome are no different. There really are times that I forget that Ella has Down syndrome, at times she is so much like her brother it is unbelievable.

My life changed the second Ella was born, but quickly the fog that covered my life lifted and I began to see what an incredible gift I recieved. Ella has changed all of our lives for the better. She has opened my eyes and heart to so many things, she is truly amazing.