Today marks one year since we began this blog. One year (and two days) since we received Mary’s Down syndrome diagnosis. One year since our world turned upside down for us….again. One year since we decided to share our journey with everyone. What a year it has been too!
Mary was born, a wonderful healthy little girl. She still surprises us every day with something. Lately it has been how quickly she can roll to get somewhere. And how stubborn she can be when she does not want to do something.
Alex started kindergarten and we decided to add medication to his ADHD care. It has been a huge help in his learning and his growth. He wants to help as much as he can, as often as he can. He gets excited and hyper and starts recognizing when he is hyper, sometimes even noticing want triggered his hyperactivity. He is very self-aware for a 6-nearly-7-year-old.
It’s been a year of adjustment for us individually as well as a family. We adjusted to Bryan moving in with us, my brother moving out, deaths of close family members, and Mary being born. We’ve adjusted to extra appointments for both children, biweekly visits from Help Me Grow, introducing sign language into our routines, and everything that comes with a family of 2 becoming a family of 4.
In this past year we have learned so much more about Down syndrome than we ever expected to. We’ve met so many amazing people within the Ds community. We’ve learned that Down syndrome is not as scary as we originally thought it was.
We saw a chance to share our journey with others in the hopes that it would help someone just starting out, wanting to know it will be ok. And it will be! Whichever path you are on, it will not be smooth and easy. But you will walk among wildflowers and hear birdsongs because your path is the one less traveled. And you will have the best little tour guide along the way.
Happy Anniversary Readers!
Raising Special Roses 
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