Looking for DS

Yesterday's birthday girl, my now officially one year old Bug, is tucked into bed, sleeping like the angel that she is. And as much as I love to watch her peaceful slumber, I find that she seems to be almost an entirely different girl once she fades into her dreams. Once the sparkling eyes, beaming smile, and bubbly personality are put to rest, once I am not enthralled by the beauty that is my daughter, in the quietest hours of darkness, I see what I have looked for since the day that she was born. I see DS. 

In those beginning days, the constant searching was done because, quite honestly, I wanted her to NOT appear to the world to carry anything that marked her at first sight as different than any other baby. As time has passed and I have been the proud witness to that magic that Liddy carries inside her, spilling over for the world to see, the physical traits often shared with her genetic brothers and sisters have become a whole lot less frightening. 

Although I still search for those little signs of DS in her features, now it's with a sense of wonder. 366 days of looking at that little face and somehow I never get tired of it, never fail to be struck breathless at her beauty. 

 

With a single flash of her smile, she can make everything right in my world. 

I relish slobbery kisses. I adore her sweet baby smell. I love her laughter, her adorable baby babble, and I cherish every accomplishment she makes. 

She is sunshine after the rain.

She is the coming of spring after a long, bitter winter.

She is a cool drink of water on a hot summer day.

She is waking from the most beautiful dream every single day to find that it was real.

She is sassy. She is spunky. She is smiley. She is herself. Without compromise. Without reservation. Without fear.

If this face, this tiny person so full of love, strength, intelligence, and yes, even beauty, is what it means to carry an extra chromosome, then I am thankful for each and every feature that proves that she has DS.

Because I believe that anyone who takes the time to know her will see so much more than the outer trappings. Just like me, they won't see DS when they look at her.........

They'll just see Liddy.