I have to say that one of the most common questions that I get when people find out for the first time that I am a mother of a child with Down syndrome is, "Did you know he had Down syndrome before he was born."  I am always upfront that we did know, but it didn't matter.  Is it a question that is asked as a barometer of our morals?  What difference does it make?  Then why do I feel compelled to then explain why we had an amnio to confirm the diagnosis?  What does it matter?  We were going to be parents for a second time after suffering a devastating miscarriage, Rory was finally going to be a big sister...  What did it matter when we found out?  Trust me, it doesn't make us better people or better parents because we knew our son had Down syndrome before he was born.  We loved him from the moment we found out he was coming, and as with everything that comes with being a parent, are you ever ready for anything?

A person's a person..

It's Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

Well, I've been a failure at blogging lately….who am I kidding.  To say that it has been sporadic since we brought Brendan home from the hospital would be a little more accurate.  I started the blog after Brendan was born because I figured that it would be an easier way to keep our family and friends, and anyone one else who cared, up to date on Brendan's battle to come home.  At least I met the goal there! Then blogging became something to do to keep memories of our family, stories and pictures and good little black mailing bits that could be brought out many years later!

Today, October 1, 2014, it's hard to believe that they little fighting Irishman is almost 7!?!  How did that all go by so quickly?  We won't talk about how The Princess is closing in on double digits and the Littlest Kilbride is in Kindergarten???  Yikes!!!

I digress…back to the reason of the blog for today….  Just about 7 years ago we were brought into the Down syndrome family, and boy have we learned a lot!  We are still learning, advocating, and stumbling and bumbling along the way, but we have learned that we are not alone.  You have been on this journey with us, and so have so many other families that we have never met.  So this month I am going to attempt to blog something everyday in support of Down Syndrome Awareness month and also in support of 31 for 21..other bloggers who will post everyday of the month (31) in support of the third copy of the 21st chromosome.  Some days won't be about our journey…some days you'll be overloaded, but hey..I'm just trying to set a goal here!

So, click on the 31 for 21 button on the right side of the page and check out some of the other blogs there!

Happy October!!!

Colleen's Graduation

Since a celebration isn't really a celebration until we have given it the Kilbride spin…..  We now present to you Colleen Kilbride's Graduation Ceremony….

World Down Syndrome Day 2014

A HUGE heartfelt Thank You to everyone who participated in World Down Syndrome Day 2014.  We know that getting the word out about Down Syndrome will reduce the stigma, the fears, the looks and the stares.  Because of your actions the world is a better place for all people….

Sick of Frozen yet…

…oh well…

This is the performance that I came home to last night.  Please make note of all of the theatrical elements…including the light cues at the beginning…