It's funny how Evie turning 5 just crept up on me, without too much fanfare. Turning 3 was a big deal because she graduated from Early Intervention support, and turning 4 was heralded with a big birthday party. This year, I wanted to give Evie a good mix of fun and celebration, but with consideration for her fear of large groups. We ended up picking one of Evie's favorite indoor playgrounds and inviting close "framily." It was overall a huge hit, except for when we all attempted to sing Jingle Bells instead of Happy Birthday (she hates happy birthday), and she freaked out. Turns out she just doesn't want attention all on her. Mama gets it now, Evie. This past year was full of firsts: 1. Walking independently (goodbye, walker!) 2. Putting solid foods in her mouth without gagging or crying 3. Licking an ice cream cone voluntarily and repeatedly 4. Saying more words verbally 5. Graduating to bigger ankle braces 6. Playing dress up ...
While sharing our journey with Down Syndrome, we want to help other parents with our experiences, as well as spread awareness about what it means to have Down Syndrome (spoiler: it means great things!).