We cannot segregate children like Hope away and pretend that it’s for their own good. We cannot force these children into a mold, but we must instead build a support system around each of their unique shapes. This was always the intention behind governmental disability protections, but our systems are falling far short of what our loved ones deserve.
Since Hope was a newborn, I have found myself in tears several times over the thought of someone kidnapping her and how helpless she would be. This is of course extreme—a sensational story pieced together from movie plots and anxiety—and there are more realistic events that could lead to Hope becoming lost.
What was frustrating Hope so much that she was resorting to these physical behaviors? After pinching me she would feel sad and cry and sign “sorry” before giving me a hug, which I of course always accepted but wished I could receive under different circumstances.
There are three good reasons why the parent of a newborn baby with Down syndrome should choose to swaddle: Nothing is cuter than a baby burrito. A naked baby is […]
We collected very few things in anticipation of Hope’s arrival for a variety of reasons. For one, it wasn’t until I was about 24 weeks into my pregnancy that we were […]
At Her Own Pace 