2014 World Down Syndrome Day
Tomorrow morning is March 21 st and my second World Down Syndrome Day. Last year on WDSD, my son Alvaro, who has an extra 21 st chromosome, was only 5 weeks old. It was the day that I “announced to Facebook” that my son had Down syndrome. I was still reeling from the shock of his diagnosis and trying to find out what that meant on the large scope of life. I wondered how his condition would affect him and our family. I was also reaching a place of acceptance and wanting to share with the world that I was proud and lucky to have him as my son, no matter what condition he did or didn’t have. Tonight I sat on the floor of my boys’ bedroom watching them play. Joel doesn’t know his little brother Alvaro has an extra chromosome. Joel doesn’t care. He doesn’t notice his brother has slanted eyes or lower muscle tone. He doesn’t realize his brother isn’t yet crawling while his peers have begun to walk. To Joel, Alvaro is just his brother. Fun and silly. Loving. Cute. And part of his...