I am Amy, mum to Ella and Lucy and partner to Ian and we live in the Northwest of England. As well as being a mummy, blogger, cake baker and amateur photographer, I am a nurse by profession. It's a job that I love but I'm currently on an open-ended career break so I can be at home with the girls.
This blog began when Ella was a baby as a way to chart her babyhood and milestones. It was also a way for me to share our experiences, educate others and challenge some of the ignorance and preconceptions that surround Down's Syndrome.
We soon realised that life was very different to the negativity and bland, clinical information and leaflets we'd been given as Ella lay in her incubator on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
She was our first baby and we were new parents who had been given a post-natal diagnosis of Down's Syndrome. I didn't want facts, figures, doom and gloom - I wanted to know that others had been where we were, hear their stories and see the reality of Down's Syndrome, not the black and white bullet point list of signs and symptoms or related health problems on the page in front of me.
To have been able to google 'Down's Syndrome' and find a blog such as this or the many other fantastic, upbeat resources that are now available would have really helped us in those early days.
The following is about us from the beginning...
If you had
told me then that I would feel as happy and as blessed as I do today, I
wouldn't have believed you. Not for a second.
I wonder
where I should begin in telling the story of our family. A family that has so
far existed for such a brief moment in time and yet so much has already
happened.....
Our first
baby Ella, was born at the end of November 2010. We were shocked to find
out soon after her birth that she has Down's Syndrome. Our world was knocked
completely off kilter and we found ourselves grieving for the child we had
imagined we would have, a child who didn't actually exist but whom we had
already fallen in love with and had dreams and aspirations for.
It didn't
take long for us to fall in love with Ella. She is a beautiful, innocent and
wonderful baby...
Our baby...
And just like any other child, she
still needed comfort, feeding, nappy changes and love...
Lots of love...
And, for whatever reason she came to be mine, I will be eternally
grateful. I felt sure that
life was never going to be the same again. This has proven to be true, but not
for the reasons I worried about then. Most of the time, the worries I have and
problems I have to solve are those shared by mums the world over and have more to
do with motherhood than Down's Syndrome.
I was
determined from the start that Down's Syndrome will never define Ella or what
she is able to do. We will provide for her everything she needs to become the
child and the person she deserves to be.
There will
be hard times ahead.... there are already many hard times behind us. But I
already know that the good times will always outweigh the hard times. She has
taught me so much in such a short time and seeing life from a new perspective
is a privilege that not many of us get the chance to experience.
To Ella xx
Post
Script.... I always had
an intention to start a blog from before Ella was born, but the events from the
first weeks and months of her life overtook me somewhat. So the blogs a little
late, but I still have the memories and will weave them into future posts when
possible. I feel it improtant to mention that Down's Syndrome is not the focus
for this blog but capturing Ella's childhood and milestones in words and
pictures is.
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of blogs, and i have to say yours is fantastic. I have just discovered it and am hooked. Your daughter is so beautiful as well.
Looking forward to more posts,
Lizzy x
Thank you Lizzy, that means a lot. Hope you continue to enjoy
DeleteAmy x
Amy,
ReplyDeleteYour cousin and mine , Sarah Hughes Alexander, has posted notice of your blog on Facebook. I've only just started reading it, but I am already enchanted.
I write to wish you, Ella, and your husband all the best . You have all been equally blessed to find yourself in one another's lives . I look forward first to catching up on the past two years, and then to sharing the coming years of your blessed and happy lives.
all the best,
Peter Hughes Kirkpatrick
Thank you Peter, such a lovely comment and I'm glad you're able to follow Ella's progress. Nice to *meet* you!
DeleteHi I have just come across your blog via facebook. I am really enjoying it and Ella is just gorgeous x
ReplyDeleteThank you Emma
Deletexx
This is so beautifully written Amy. x
ReplyDeleteThank you x
ReplyDeleteWow Amy, you have told your story so beautifully and the pictures are so sweet and show what a special girl you have. What lucky daughters to have such a great mama! x
ReplyDeleteHi Amy,
ReplyDeleteI hope this comment finds you well.
My name’s Barney and I’m contacting you on behalf of Andrex®.
We have been following your blog for a while, and love the tone of voice and honesty of your pieces. At Andrex®, we've started a social media programme which aims to support parents, who are getting their children ready to start school, but with a focus on nailing a clean routine* in the months and years running up to starting school. As you know toilet training can be a bit of a struggle and every child is different. We would love to have your perspective on how best to manage during this time, and in the months / years running up to starting school.
* “The clean routine” is our way of describing the full toilet routine right through from wiping your bottom to washing your hands.
If you're at all interested, my email address is barnaby.bowles-bray@jwt.com
Have a lovely bank holiday, and hopefully hear from you soon.
Hello Amy,
ReplyDeleteI hope you’re well. I'm a writer for GoodtoKnow.co.uk and am currently working on a feature article about what it’s like to be a parent of a child with Down’s Syndrome. I have been reading your blog and think it’s brilliant and really helping change perceptions! Would it be possible to set up an interview to talk a bit more about your experiences - as it would be great to have you involved in the piece? If you’re interested or have any questions about it, please just drop me an email at Charlotte.Whistlecroft@timeinc.com
Thank you and best wishes,
Charlotte