Happy Remembrance Day??

A few random thoughts.....

It's Remembrance Day here in Canada. It is a time to reflect and remember what others have done for us so that we have freedom. I think about my grandparents today and recall the stories that my Nan would tell us about the war, it was a tough subject. Nanny and Papa lived in London during the war and it was such a difficult and trying time.
I don't think people my age and younger really understand the magnitude of war. I know that when my Nan would come over to mom and dad's and we would be watching a movie, Nan would shudder and shake when there was a loud noise on the movie. It took her back to the London bombings. That made me sad.
I know that it's so silly and cliché, but why can't we all just get along. I see photos of fathers and mothers returning home to their families after serving for years, not having met their babies, not being able to return to daily living. It makes me so sad. We see these pictures and it affects us for a short time, not realizing that it affects them for a lifetime. I feel for the families. I have never been able to wrap my mind around war, and the purpose and how in the end, it is just pure devastation. So many lives lost, so much trauma, so unnecessary. I just don't get it.
As I scroll through posts on Facebook, I cringe when I see Happy Remembrance Day. Are you serious? Happy Remembrance Day. This isn't Easter or Christmas. This is a day to respect our veterans.

Anyways.....

Brinley wants to be a big girl now and refuses to sit in a high chair. Ok, so we let her sit in a booster seat at Boston Pizza and it went well. She stayed seated and ate her meal.
Tonight, at our kitchen table, she kept standing on the chair and guess what?? Yup, went down on her head. Thankfully she landed on the mat. Not that I enjoyed the fall but I'm hoping she wants to go back in the high chair. I like to keep the mess contained. :)
Some days I look at Brinley and see such a big girl. She's getting old! I kind of like it, I like the changes and I like how her personality is developing. She is calm and happy, yet extremely spicy and fiery with not a huge amount of patience. It's a nice mix. :)

Anyways....

Adele is doing well. She is smiling and then smiling some more. She smiles so hard that her little eyes turn to slits. It honestly takes away all of your stress and worries. She is infectious. She makes people happy. She draws others in. I love how this little girl has already made so many lives happier. I was chatting with a new friend today. She has twins, one with Down syndrome and the other is a typical little girl. Typical? One without Down syndrome? :)

Part of our conversation....

V...

Our daughter was born with Pulmonary Atresia (severe heart defect) and 3 holes in her heart. She has a pace maker, Gtube and has been on oxygen all her life. She has gone through 29 surgeries and countless blood transfusions and procedures. Despite everything she is our everything our "hero". I am glad to help you with anything as when my girls were born I had no one and I was lost & scared.

K...

Do you ever get to the point where you say that it just isn't fair and you feel bad for bringing her into the world? Did you ever feel that way when she was just a baby? I look at what we've been through and to be honest, we are lucky with Adele's health, but I have moments where I wonder if it's fair. I love her with every ounce of my being, I just feel bad sometimes. Make sense? Do I wish I terminated? No way. Not a chance, just feel bad.....

V...

Honestly I have never felt that way because I knew she would be loved and cared for unconditionally. I think that's why she was chosen for us, she has made me a stronger person in so many ways.

I love the stories and I love the support.

Another friend...

KB....

Oh! I was going tell you! I read your blog the one where you were talking about wanting your blog to make a difference in someone who is pregnant with a baby with DS. That would be me! I wasn't going to terminate but your blog was very therapeutic for me during my grieving process of the diagnosis coupled with being dumped because I didn't terminate. Even though we both don't have this figured out it was nice to find someone with similar emotions and experiences to what I was having (at nearly the exact same time I was having them!) Adele and E are so completely different for us now but when I was pregnant your blog helped me cope with that.
Your blog helped me through the diagnosis, pregnancy, and there after.

Getting that diagnosis and all the events following can make you feel very lonely and your blog showed me I wasn't alone.

When she told me this, it just made everything worthwhile.

I hope you had a chance to watch Adele's video. I made it for the girls. I made it to show others that it works out. I made it to show that Adele and Brinley have a bond so strong that your heart melts. I made it to remind myself that Adele is our gift, our miracle.

I'm slipping......but coming back :)

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