Q&A!

Hey friends! I decided to do a Q&A blogpost to allow you all to ask me questions about Laura, me, Down syndrome, our life, etc. So, here are the questions I've gotten so far :) I will set this up as a "page" at the top of my blog, so if you have more questions, feel free to ask so I can add them to my "page" :) Here goes:

Q: Were you scared when you first found out that she had DS? Did ever think in the back of your mind "Why us?" -Amanda
A: When we first found out that Laura had Down syndrome, I was VERY scared. I never really wondered "Why us?", but I did wonder "Why her?". At the time of her diagnosis, I knew next to nothing about Ds so I wondered if she would live, and if she did live, how long she would live. I also wondered what kind of life she would have. After the diagnosis, we researched Down syndrome often. We didn't know it at the time, but most of the information that we were reading was WAY outdated, so the things we read scared me even more. I put my trust in God, and I knew that no matter what, I would love her with all of my heart.

Q: Best/worst comments you like to hear about your sister... basically things to say to a family who has a child with Down Syndrome. -Gwen
A: When my mom was pregnant with Laura, it made me sad when people would tell us "I'm sorry" when we told them that Laura had Down syndrome. We didn't want sympathy....we wanted people to congratulate us like they would any other family that was expecting a baby! Even after Laura was born, people still would say "I'm sorry" often when they would find out about her Ds. Now that she's older, and her Down syndrome is more noticeable, the stares, laughs, whispers, etc. that we get from people while we are out and about really bother me. Often times I find myself wanting to shield her from the world. I want to protect her from being hurt. Then, we run into people who tell us how adorable she is, how much they love her strawberry blonde hair, etc., and it gives me hope for her. I think the world of her, and it brings me SO much joy to see people adoring her. It makes me so happy when I see people who see her just as Laura as I do, and not just see her Down syndrome :)

Q: Did y'all have a prenatal diagnosis? If so, how did your family cope with the news? -Nicole
A: Yes, we had a prenatal diagnosis. When my mom was about 3 months along, we found out. At first, we had a hard time coping with it because we didn't know what to expect at all. Our faith in God is seriously what helped us cope the most, though. Knowing that God loved Laura more than we did, and that he was cradling her in His arms the whole time, really brought us comfort. God is so good :)

Q: I know you have more than 1 sibling. What is different about Laura being born and compared to one of the others? -Lori
A: To me, absolutely nothing! When I look at her, I just see Laura. I don't see a difference, honestly. Her surgeries, excessive doctor's appointments, ER visits, therapies, etc. are things that I never had to really experience with my other siblings, but it hasn't made things that "different" for me. Definately scary at times, but not different.

Q: What kind of therapies (if any) does Laura have? How often does she have them, etc.? -Kaleigh
A: Once a week, Laura has "Early intervention" therapy which she has been having since she was about 7 months old. Her early intervention therapist, Breanna, works with Laura on all sorts of things like standing, signing, speech, etc. Once a month, Laura also has physical therapy which she has started pretty recently. Her PT, Michelle, works with her on standing, walking, etc.

Q: How do you feel about possibly having to care for your sister if she outlives your parents? -Yvette
A: Ever since we found out about Laura having Down syndrome, me and my mom have discussed this. Since the beginning, I have told my mom that I would definately take care of her if the need arises.

Q: What are your dreams for your life? -Cathy
A: My biggest dream in life is to adopt a child with Down syndrome! I also want to get married, have kids, and be a photographer. I always wanted to be an OB/GYN when I was younger, but as I got older, my dreams changed. I would like to be able to stay home with my kids so photography would be a perfect career for me. Plus, it's a HUGE passion of mine :)

Q: I was really curious to know what types of toys and things are especially good that you know of for little ones with down syndrome. Is there some that really helped Laura or something? -Kaleigh
A: Blocks or legos are really good for coordination. Laura has also loved toys with buttons and music which is also good for coordination(pushing the buttons) and stimulation(the music).

Love,
Ashley