October 2017 is a very significant month which has lots of claims to fame.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Stoptober and Black History Month, it contains The Big Draw, World Space Week, Wool Week, National Knitting Week, British Egg Week, National Curry Week, Chocolate Week, Baby Loss Awareness Week, International Day of the Girl Child and International Babywearing Week, Apple Day, International Sloth Day and Halloween, to name but a few.
And not forgetting, most importantly, Daddy and Mummy Malpi’s birthdays and anniversary.
But, notwithstanding the significant number associated with my impending age celebration date, October 2017 is also important to us as it is Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the US.
In the UK Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week is held in March, encompassing the date of the 21st of the 3rd month as people with Down’s Syndrome (or Trisomy 21) have three copies of chromosome 21 but why wouldn’t we want to join in with our international community and dedicate a whole month to raising awareness, to “celebrate people with Down syndrome and make people aware of their abilities and accomplishments”?
Faith may have only been born just under nine months ago but she’s already achieved so much. She’s been able to breastfeed which we were told was unlikely, she has the most adorable chuckle, she attracts compliments wherever we go and has been signed up by specialist talent agency Zebedee Management, gives great cuddles, blows a fabulous raspberry, has lovely babble-y chats and she’s getting more and more mobile as she’s so determined to start exploring the world just like her big brother and sister.
And she’s certainly won the hearts of mummy, daddy, big brother and big sister.
I don’t want to consider what a world without my Faith would be like and I give thanks that, for the most part, we live in a country where people are kind and think that helping others should be the willing default option. When you give love you receive it in return and, if our as yet short introduction to the Down’s Syndrome community is representative, there’s a lot of love to go round.
October has always been my favourite month with birthdays, Halloween and an anniversary to celebrate and now it has a special relevance for my miniest mini too.
She’s such a cutie. Hope you have a lovely October, sounds like you have a lot to celebrate
Oh, Faith is so beautiful! We have the 2nd most common chromosome abnormality after Trisomy 21 in our family. Our fourth has 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Our awareness day is the 22nd November.
What a beautiful little girl you have and congratulations on the boobing mama!
What a cutie! Well done you for raising awareness of the US Down Syndrome Awareness Week. I’m glad that October is extra special for you. ?
She’s absolutely beautiful – what a gorgeous smile! Love the significance behind the UK awareness week date – wonder if there’s any reason for the choice of month in the US?