October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

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Nadine at Ya Kwang
(Nadine at Ya Kwang)

I realise I haven't done much for Down Syndrome (DS) awareness lately - October is the official month for it (mainly in the U.S., but let's piggyback on it anyway)! My own "awareness" of DS has declined, ironically. Some days I forget that Nadine even has it. On a day-to-day basis, she is not much different from a regular kid. It's easy to see the child more than the condition.

Nadine is now two years and two months old. Developing a chatty side, boundless curiosity and a defiant temper. She can be rough and bossy too. I've seen her bully older boys into crying. Yet she shows the most delicate tenderness towards those who need it - like my mom, who is critically ill in hospital.

I went back for a week to Malaysia to see her (hence the lack of posts, sorry!). She's quite frail right now and Nadine picked up on it somehow. I was surprised when Nadine, unprompted, leaned over to stroke my mom's cheek, give her a kiss, and also gently rub her hand. Not once did she attempt to pull tubes and IV plugs (despite her love of yanking wires). My mom smiled too.

In honour of National DS Awareness month, Parenting.com is showcasing galleries of babies with Down Syndrome. Maybe I will submit one too.
Nadine at 9 months
(Nadine at 9 months)
Posted Thursday, October 02, 2008

17 comments:

  1. I hopt your mum gets well soon. :) And that was so intuitive and sweet of Nadine.
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  3. Nadine is adorable, and that's a cute hat she has. Oh, I think children can be rather sensitive people. It must have occurred to her how painful it must be for those needles to be in grandma. Hope she's well soon. How is the mil? Is she much better now? Take care, my dear.
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  4. Ur daughter looks sweet, and has such a lovely heart :)
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  5. i hope ur mum gets well soon, nadine is such a pretty little girl, and so clever and sensitive to grandma feeling unwell too!
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  6. Oh dear! Hope your mum is better now. Nadine is very sweet & understanding baby.
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  7. I have a DS cousin too who has been staying with me since the day she was born. I always believe that she's the angel in my life. I believe that Nadine is yours too.
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  8. Nadine is such a beautiful girl. The first picture of her is precious!
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  9. A child's feelings are always so real and innocent.

    Nadine's such a sweetheart and still as cheerful.
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  10. thanks for sharing your life with us! :)
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  11. Thank you all, for your lovely words and kind wishes.

    Slackerz: I guess you know the magic too! Yes, she is my angel (but she's also got a little devil's tail somewhere).
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  12. Nadine is so sweet towards her grandma =) And i hope ur mum gets better soon yah! Hugz
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  13. Nadine is gorgeous. She has such beautiful wonder-filled eyes and luscious long lashes to frame them. She also has a very pretty smile, the kind that makes you wanna smile just because she is smiling. But most importantly, she is so beautiful on the inside too.

    It doesn't really matter that she has DS because she is blessed with a family who cares so much about her. And it doesn't mean that she will not be able to be happy next time. In fact, she may be happier than most people because she's so much more innocent,loving and intuitive than other children her age. She's really a blessing.

    I hope your mother feels better soon. Stay strong! God loves you!
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  14. Thank you, June and Sheryl! Yes, Sheryl, you are right about Nadine being happier than most people. That tends to be true of most people with DS, it seems. She truly is a blessing.

    And thanks for the well wishes for my mom!
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  15. she's so precious!
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