Is It Good Enough?

Advocating for Sophia is so important to me.  I want people to see her the way I see her.  I want people to accept her the way we accept her.  I want people to see past what's on the outside and learn about what she has to offer from the inside.

I think it's fair to say that Sophia is a super cutie!  She's petite, and has gorgeous, long, blonde hair, and dazzling, blue eyes, and a smile that melts the coldest heart.  Really, what's not to love?  But she also has a fire in her that gets her into trouble more than once a day.  She likes to test people, a lot.  She's very curious about how much she can get away with around certain people.  Depending on what side of Sophia you see, you either think she is the most adorable little girl ever, or that she is a big, bad bully.  I think most people probably think a little of both!  

As Sophia's mom, I find it safe to say that I know her better than anyone else.  I've seen the good, the bad, the great, and the ugly.  But without a doubt, the good and the great outweigh the bad and the ugly at the end of the day.  Sophia is a five year old little girl, still trying to learn all the rules that society expects us all to follow.  And it's convincing her that she HAS to follow those rules, is what gets a little hard sometimes. 

When I look at some of the things that I post, throughout the year or just during the month of October, I always worry, am I giving out a bad impression about who my daughter is or what it means to have Down syndrome?  Instead of advocating for Sophia, am I doing more harm than good?  

There are so many possibilities associated with a Down syndrome diagnosis; from medical issues, to behavior issues, to cognitive ability.  I have to wonder, do these possibilities scare people......like REALLY scare people?  Sometimes I think that people read about all of these issues and convince themselves that they could never handle any of that.  Forgetting that any of those possibilities could also become an issue with their typical child as well, at some point in his or her life. 

All of my kids pose challenges for me.  Jayden is demanding, and bossy, and feels like the world owes her everything (or at least her Dad and I  owe her everything).  Sophia holds the cards when it comes to behavior challenges, but I must say, Jayden gives her a run for her money some days!  And Adalyn, well she's about the best kid I have right now.....until she learns how to walk and talk!  

We've went through a lot since we learned Sophia had Down syndrome, but there has never been a day where I had regrets.  She has brought more joy and love into my heart then I could ever dream possible.  I love all three of my girls with everything that I have in me, but Sophia did something magical to my life that I never could have experienced if she hadn't been born with a little something extra.  I feel lucky to be her mom.  She has taught me so much about life and people, that I never would have known had it not been for her.