Up Down Tales

This week Maisie and I attended a photo shoot for Down Syndrome Ireland, where I was interviewed and Maisie had videos and photos taken of her having great fun playing with colourful socks! “Lots of Socks” is the advertising campaign run by Down Syndrome Ireland this year and we were delighted to be asked to participate. She really enjoyed being the centre of attention and immediately started playing hide and seek whilst hopping like a bunny. We were hoping to have Maisie sit beside me whilst I was interviewed but this little lady had other ideas. Nevertheless it all went well and great shots were taken of Maisie and one of her saying “thank you” at the end. It’s purpose is to raise awareness of Down Syndrome and this years theme is “Dreams”. My dream is for Maisie to be happy of course and to pursue her passions. We know that she’ll lead a fulfilling life and will find meaningful employment. But my other dream, one that’s the same for all parents of children with disabilities is for people to look beyond the disability. Don’t underestimate our children, they are more capable than you think!

It’s almost Christmas and as well as being a most exciting time for our kids, it will be Maisie’s birthday during the holidays. The Big Four and there’s no denying just how far Maisie has come along in recent months. A proud mammy that’s me, she’s a daddy’s girl too, and not just a cute little sister but one who can stand her ground with a shove or a shout but also shower them with loving cuddles and tickles. It hasn’t been the easiest few months parenting wise (and that’s with all three mind) but that’s the reality of bringing up kids these days. They need us so much, and whenever I feel emotionally and physically depleted one foot must still go in front of the other. Just making sure even twenty minutes every day is time spent looking after myself and I’ll feel the better for it. For the first time in years I am sleeping better too. I’ll always look back with rose tinted glasses when I look at their baby pictures but I’m very glad to be out of the sleep deprived era!

Maisie our funny, beautiful little girl is all set for starting playschool full time next week. She’s had a great summer, from feeding the Guinea pigs and playing in her “cafe” in the garden, to spending time at the beach in Donegal(she goes straight into the sea, just like Evie would have done), swimming in the pool in Spain and experiencing her first camping trip..it’s been a busy but fun time for her and I’ve really enjoyed spending time with her. Not to say she isn’t a rascal at times, “no, no, no” is a favourite phrase of hers and she has a tendency to run in the opposite direction when we’re out, meaning I’ve got to lift her frequently and she’s not little anymore!

Post Christmas can usually feel a little glum but we had Maisie’s birthday to celebrate at the beginning of January. Sproutings of snowdrops and daffodils gave me joy throughout some of those dreary days and then we were lucky to go on a sun holiday in February. Today is March 1st and the sun is out. I hear more birds singing in the garden which is abundant with swaying daffodils and narcissi. Maisie is loving playschool and she’s busy at home too, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of two older siblings making for a busy, noisy, sometimes stressful but generally fun and loving home.

Another birthday is approaching and soon Maisie will turn 3. I’m glad she’ll be in the best form for it as Christmas was full of illnesses! We were all sick from one thing or another except Caolan but he was shattered due to all the sleepless nights. This Christmas Maisie knew all about Santa and the excitement of Christmas(we had been playing Christmas songs since November😬) so I’m pretty sure she’ll have a blast opening her presents, eating her birthday cake and singing happy birthday to herself.

It’s summer and Maisie has just turned 2.5years. She is such a character and goes between being very clingy to fiercely independent. It’s a busy time with her siblings at home over the holidays but the weeks are flying by already and come September Maisie will be joining Tom and Evie on the school run, attending a special needs preschool, for one year only before she will begin Montessorri. She is very sociable and I know she will love it, as much as I’ll enjoy some time to myself and returning to work in my garden studio.

One of my first posts was about Bailey, our small fluffy, loyal, lovely Bichon Frise. We had him for over 13years, and so much happened in that time. He was there for all the important life stuff, meeting Caolan, moving house, having kids, getting married, and all those trips back to Donegal. His first few years were spent in Donegal, where most of his adventures happened and then he settled into city life although with a big garden and huge park on our doorstep he lived a happy, fulfilling life🐶🐾

It’s our last day in Lanzarote and I’m relaxing on our balcony feeling the warm heat on my face, looking out at gently swaying palm trees, the blue sea in the near distance. The chirping of birds overriding any noise from the pool. I feel good. My knees aren’t sore. I feel genuinely relaxed, savouring each moment before everything gets busy again. Maisie is napping, Evie is at a kids luncheon and Tom and his dad are at their favourite café. I started to write this post a day into our holiday and whilst I was enjoying the same view, I felt a bit uptight. It can take a couple of days for everyone to settle in and the only way we’ll enjoy the holiday is if the kids are happy. Even when they are, it’s never plain sailing but the good memories usually outweigh the tricky ones and we’ll go home yearning to return.

Our darling girl turned 2yrs at the start of January. Another wonderful milestone celebrated in our family! There was a time when two weeks or two months felt like an age when our newborn Maisie struggled to feed due to her heart defect..but these last twelve months have flown in and our teeny delicate baby has become quite the little lump!

Maisie will be two years old in January. Her second year has been much easier than her first. I love tiny babies but Maisie was tiny for too long and I’ve already spoken about how challenging the first months of her life was as we prepared for her heart surgery. But one of the reasons life with her is more enjoyable is down to our acceptance of Maisie’s Down Syndrome diagnosis..to the point where it doesn’t matter any more. She makes us happy, it’s as simple as that. And we celebrate all her achievements of which there are many! She signs, she loves imaginary play and joining in with her siblings. She applauds herself when she stands, her way of saying “hey, look at me”! She loves to “read” her favourite books pointing to the animals or objects she is familiar with. I could go on… It is so rewarding to see the progress Maisie makes. Perhaps, the slower the pace means that we’re more fully engaged with her. And we see how capable she is, and so in writing this blog I am advocating for our daughter that there is nothing wrong with having a learning disability. It’s not what we see but how we see things and our attitudes towards people that are a bit different. Look beyond the disability and see a beautiful girl just being herself who just happens to have Down Syndrome💗

Compared to a year ago, Maisie is a different child..no more Ng feeding tube or restrictions associated with that. She is an explorer and is curious about the world around her. This summer was filled with adventures at home and away, and watching Maisie grow up makes us so proud of her. She has a sweet personality, lets us know what she does and doesn’t like and is very fond of her siblings, and our dog. In fact her first sign was “dog”!

May 2022..two years without a sun holiday abroad, first world problems I know but I was never more excited about a holiday than this one. Lockdowns and Covid restrictions had meant that at the height of the pandemic we couldn’t go beyond 5km from our homes, and although we enjoyed the odd trip to Donegal it’s wouldn’t be the same as packing a suitcase and venturing off to a warmer climate with the pleasure of being somewhere different to switch off from the hum drum of family routines.