Blog #Down Syndrome

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.

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!

This is Maisie on her first birthday and what a difference a year makes! A good birth weight at 7lbs 8oz Maisie struggled to put on weight as she was diagnosed with a hole in her heart (VSD) that would require surgery at four months old. Many times I thought Maisie would never be the weight she should be for her age but those days are long behind us and she is thriving since her surgery. The best part of her 1st birthday..seeing how excited she was and watching her munch on her cake🥰😋