Anniversary

I have just copied and pasted this from DSDU. It was written late Monday night so the dates don't fully match up, but those of you in America won't notice that anyway LOL.....

This time last year, we were enjoying our tiny new addition. She was 4 weeks old, and had progressed well from the Intensive Care Nursery, to Special Care. She was now 35 weeks gestational age. All was going well with her. We were just fattening her up ready to come home.We were blissfully unaware that our lives were about to change dramatically.On October 20 2008, we were delivered the blow that is Down Syndrome. We had absolutely no inkling that it was coming. We hadn't had time to duck, or even to flinch. We were hit full-on in the face with the news that our child would never be who we thought she was. At the time, it felt like a death. I felt like they had taken our baby and replaced her with someone else. Looking back, I still see the 'before' pictures as if they were before she had it. Dumb I know. But that is the effect that this late diagnosis left me with.The year since then has brought with it many ups and (no pun) downs. We have met some great people. We have had some good times. We have learnt some valuable lessons. And above all we have had the opportunity to get to know the most amazing baby.But there has been more than her share of sickness. More time spent in hospital than I care to remember. And many tears for the opportunities she may never have. I can't say I have a lot of love for that extra chromosome. I don't like the way it makes her so sickly. I don't like to see my baby struggle. And I don't like how every new thing she learns comes at such great effort and cost. But there is something special about that extra chromosome too. My appreciation for my children, for life, for others has grown beyond what I thought possible. And as she has grown over the last 13 months, I have seen a beautiful personality emerge. One who I would never have known, had it not been for that something extra.So it is a bittersweet memory. That day last year was the hardest of my entire life. But all is not lost. I still have my precious baby girl. Something that cannot be said for so many parents of children who are born with an extra 18 or 13. We were lucky. The 21st chromosome is the one to have if you are going to have an extra.But, I am sure I will cry. I will cry for the sickness she suffers. I will cry for the difficulties she faces. I will cry for the hurdles still to come. But then I will move on. I will remember to be thankful for one of the greatest blessings I have ever received.