Swim Party!!

So, we had fun tonight!! We had the awesome opportunity to go to Pirate's Cove and swim with the ODSPN Group. It was such a wonderful time!! Jenessa got to swim in her floating turtle that Grandma gave her, which lead her to love the water!! These pictures are from after the turtle experience moving on to the "I LOVE WATER!!" stage!!
We had to actually pry her out of the water to go eat and then pry her out of the water to leave!! I am so excited about this!! I cannot even begin to explain!
The experience of getting to go and talk with other parents is just wonderful!! It was great to see all different ages of kids in general, but especially the kids with down syndrome. To see the kids from age newborn all the way to teens!! It is so wonderful that they can interact with other kids with both down syndrome as well as siblings of other kids!! I am going to miss this in GI, when we move.
Well thanks all it was a great night!! Look forward to more exciting experiences!!

Swim Lessons Day One!

So we started Jenessa in swim lessons because she won a certificate last year at the buddy walk. Her first day was today and it went way better than I had expected. She took about 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the water and then she was a totally different little girl! It was great, she started reaching for toys and then getting on her tummy to reach. She even put her face in the water. After we had been in 10 minutes and she was still clinging to me, I thought, we are not coming back. But after getting used to it she started getting comfortable. So, I learned a valuable lesson today. When Jenessa is starting a new activity, I just have to be patient and give her the time to grow her courage wings, and then watch her use them!! But it will take time. Haha!
We did have a good time though and I am pretty sure she is excited about tomorrow!! Maybe tomorrow we will even let the lifeguard take us and "work" (play) with us!! :)

Grayson's Baptism

Well on Saturday Jenessa and I headed to Kansas for her cousin Grayson's baptism. I helped my sister, by decorating the cake and she kept me awake at midnight, while I worked. It was a really good time though! I was really sad that it was so busy and I really didn't get to talk to anyone much. But my dad came in while I was working and him and I talked, which doesn't happen much, so that was nice. Jenessa got a chance to see some of her great aunts and uncles that she hasn't gotten to see in awhile and she really enjoyed that. Grayson was also excited to be getting baptized! After it was done and Tessa was continuing on with the service, she asked if there were any joys or concerns and Grayson let out a loud shout! I loved it, apparently he felt it was a joy that he was baptized! So cute. It was a wonderful weekend and I was really glad to have a chance to go!

Acceptance

Well, I always knew through this journey there would be times when acceptance would be a factor, but I never guessed it would be so early!! I am not even talking about for Jenessa, actually. I had the great opportunity to talk to a mother of an older child with Down Syndrome and this child went to an orientation to the school that he plans to attend next year. At this program there was a teacher there that introduced themself to every parent around the child's parent except them. They thought this was a fluke until they talked to another parent with a child that also has down syndrome and they were also "shunned" if you will, by the same teacher. The sad fact is this teacher has accepted Jenessa, but it really makes me wonder and is kind of sickening that they could do that. I just don't see acceptance as accepting my child, because you know me or because she is just so adorable you can't resist, it is also accepting all children with any disability and their parents. Introducing yourself to every parent around them, but acting as if they do not exist is not acceptance and to be honest it is quite RUDE! I have had a hard time with this today because it really makes me wonder out of the people that know my daughter and accept her, do they really accept her?
I understand acceptance is a hard thing to comprehend. I even with a daughter with Down syndrome have a hard time. But I feel that we are teaching our kids tolerance more than acceptance and this needs to change. As was pointed out this morning to me in our mommy meeting, children don't see the facial differences or notice the behaviors at a young age, but they do need to understand as our children get older. And they need to have acceptance and to be taught that just because someone look different or act different, it doesn't mean that they are less of a person or that they are more sensitive, it only means that they want to be included just as much as everyone else!!