The nurse thinks he may have Down syndrome.” From where I sit now, I can split my life in two. There’s the time before we heard those words, and the time after. Before, we were probably like most people. We knew we were lucky. We were healthy. Our little boy, Timmy, was funny and strong and happy. We had jobs and a loving family. But until we were hit with those words, I don’t think we had any idea how fragile that luck can be.
—Aiden's Gift by Valle Dwight

excerpt from one of the essays in

GIFTS: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives

litte gold star calling attention to award 2008 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA): Gold Award

litte gold star calling attention to award 2008 Mom's Choice Awards Silver Recipient, Special and Exceptional Needs

Praise for Gifts

“This fine book helps dispel the fear and misinformation about Down syndrome that many parents and prospective parents face. As these deft essays convey, the world would be a sweeter place with more Down syndrome citizens, not fewer.” —George F. Will

“Gifts is honest and life affirming, a chorus of mothers proclaiming what every obstetrician and gynecologist should know - that life is a gift and an extra chromosome is not the end of the world.” —Beverly Beckham, columnist, The Boston Globe

“Through Gifts we hear the powerful voices of mothers who said ‘yes’ when others might have been saying ‘no.’ These mothers take us on their journey filled with wonder, courage, and the belief that children with Down syndrome can and will succeed.” —Brian G. Skotko, MD, MPP, Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center Author, Common Threads: Celebrating Life with Down Syndrome

Gifts II Cover Photo Contest

Contest Deadline: October 15, 2008.

See full details at the Woodine House site, Photo Contest.

Sample Links from the Down syndrome Community

What To Say to Parents of a Child With a Diagnosis
This speech was written for a Christian Mothers Of Preschoolers Group. It contains Bible Verses. You have my expressed permission to print this speech, personalize it, customize it, use the research and deliver it to any audience.

California: Down Syndrome Association of Orange County

Iowa: Hawkeye Area Down Syndrome Association Inc.

Michigan: Families Exploring Down Syndrome
Detroit area

———

Browse our collection of Down Syndrome Links.

Having a baby
with Down syndrome is not something most parents would willingly choose. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way. In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives.

The contributors to this collection have diverse personalities and perspectives, and draw from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, world views, and religious beliefs. Some are parenting within a traditional family structure; some are not. Some never considered terminating their pregnancy; some struggled with the decision. Some were calm at the time of diagnosis; some were traumatized. Some write about their pregnancy and the months after giving birth; some reflect on years of experience with their child.

Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say -- not just to other mothers but to all of us.

"A more human view of the experience of Down syndrome"

Gifts is among the books discussed in the Spring 2008 The New Atlantis.

Check out the essay At Home with Down Syndrome in the current issue of The New Atlantis.

The issue is on newsstands and bookstores now, and the essay is offered online as a free preview.

Be part of Gifts Volume II

The second volume of Gifts will include stories about individuals with Down syndrome written by a wide variety of individuals, including:

family members (such as parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members)
friends (such as neighbors, babysitters, and other associates)
professionals (such as teachers, doctors and nurses, and therapists)

Submission deadline now extended to September 1, 2008. Complete information is on our Gifts Volume II page.

People are talking about Gifts!
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a new dream called maya (Posted 15 days ago) i've asked myself why blog? after having this blog account for over a year i've ... [Link]

Call for Gifts II submissions (Posted 19 days ago) The deadline for submitting a story for Gifts Volume II has been extended to Sept. ... [Link]

Remember Gifts? (Posted 5 weeks ago) Remember the book Gifts: Mothers Reflect on how Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives ... [Link]

Aim High Enough on 03/21/08 (Posted 5 weeks ago) WdsdLogo Each week I try to write about a story or some news that I ... [Link]

A keeper! (Posted 6 weeks ago) A friend recently passed on a link to a great new article called, At Home ... [Link]