31 for 21- day 12-take a hike

After breakfast the girls and I walked with Anna, Terry's significant other. We walked through Atterbury Bird and Animal Sanctuary-also called Lower Lincoln Park. Park, it is down the street from us. I thought it would be fun to walk a bit and then take the girls to the upper park to swing and play.

Our walk became a long hike in full sun on a rather warm 84 degree day, I never walked the trails before, so I had no idea how far they went. After pushing the huge stroller up a hill we got a little winded, I am in pretty bad shape, I never thought a small hill would leave me winded, it took Meghan, Anna and I to push it. Meghan got a little fatigued before the walk was over and her behavior declined sharply, ugh; wish she would just say "I am tired". We took Kara out of the stroller and put Meghan in it, Kara would not walk until we held her hands. We had fun, it was pretty dry and lots of the plants were dead or gone, but we saw a plethora of lizards. Thankfully no rattlesnakes or other dangerous critters were around. We went to the upper park and I was a little relieved that the moms and kids were no longer at the playground, sometimes I get weary of the reactions of the children and the sometimes worse reactions from their moms. Meghan said hi to two little girls the other day, they just stared blankly at her. Their mother did the "OK now girls, leave that little girl alone" thing. Sigh. I have to be honest and say that I cannot see why my girls put off parents of typical kids, sometimes I think my girls are prettier, funnier and sweeter than typical kids (and sometimes I don't when they are being stinkers LOL). I fail to see why their appearance is off-putting, they are so beautiful, and why would children look at them like that?

So I tend to avoid parents in public places sometimes, but I do not want to keep the little girls away from other children either. I wish there was a way to get through to people who just cannot see that my girls are just children, like theirs.

Though we are making strides in acceptance, I think we have a ways to go. Down syndrome is feared by expectant parents, seems to be the one thing they dread hearing, “We think your baby may have Down syndrome” puts fear into their hearts, so much fear, 92% of those who receive prenatal diagnosis terminate the pregnancy. I look at my girls, and wonder why in the world other parents deem babies like them unworthy to be in their families. Why do doctors paint such a terrible picture of their future? I cannot understand the bias.

I have yet to see anything on television about Down syndrome that truly speaks of the joys and love they bring to our lives. Everything I have watched stresses the pain and anguish parents feel when they find out their baby has Down syndrome, but says nothing of the everyday lives, pretty ordinary lives really, that our kids have.

There are Buddy Walks everywhere, but are they truly raising awareness? I have to believe if they were, more parents would choose to give birth to their children. The abortion rate is horrific to me, and it seems to speak volumes of the lack of understanding.

I pray that one day the attitudes towards my daughters will change, most days I ignore staring people, some days I smile at all them as my way of saying, “Aren’t I the luckiest mom in the world?” And I am!