You've come a long way baby!

Maddox started preschool this past fall and I was every bit as anxious as her.  I wondered if she would fit in, if the bus drivers would keep her safe, or if she would make friends?


But most importantly I needed to know, would she learn?


We are four years into this journey and still we don't take a break with her therapies.  Some days they are done by her therapists and teachers but the majority of the time, they are done by Scott and I.  Never did I imagine that we would put this much effort into parenting, but it's the moments like these that makes it all worth it. While my friends were with their children this morning at dance class, the bounce house, the puppet show, etc... we were working on homework.  Yes, after all these years there still lingers a smidgen of jealousy at the fact that those parents can actually take a small breather.  


What I mean is those who have walked closely in our shoes truly understand the value of each ticking moment in a day as we attempt to pack in every opportunity for learning.  Not just teaching, that's the easy part, that part happens naturally with "normal" children.  


When working with special needs children, it's the variety of ways, the multitude of trial and error, waiting for the response, the light, and some very tiny indication that what you did actually worked.  That is the exhausting part.  The part I was not prepared for.


Without further ado, after many hours of practice, many different techniques, Maddox's light switch FINALLY flipped on this morning -- and I was one proud mommy. 


With every leap forward comes two steps backwards. Now that this is one more accomplishment we can nix off the developmental milestone list, we unfortunately can't just sit back and rejoice at it's mastery. We hit the repeat button while simultaneously tackeling the next item that we must tediously analyze and teach.

I guess today, I wanted to share the great news with you, but also share what goes through our minds as we celebrate one small step for Maddox, and one giant leap for Down Syndrome.