World Down Syndrome Day

I have spent most of this week submerged in toys and cleaning supplies as I tackled the kid's bedroom and toys for Pessach. I am happy to announce that I finished the room and am taking the rest of the week off from cleaning.
I emerged long enough to visit Gigi's Playhouse on Sunday, the new Down Syndrome Awareness Center that recently opened in New York City. The Center is not in our neighborhood but easily reachable by subway. We went to an Open House to meet other children with Down Syndrome and their families.A good time was had by all except for A, who kept insisting that everything was "boring."
It was an apropos week to visit the Playhouse because today is World Down Syndrome Day. In honor of the day, the UN hosted a conference all about Down Syndrome with the title "Building Our Future". There was a live webcast and I was able to watch some of it this morning while cleaning and holding Baby AY who has been cranky all day. My husband said we should have gone to see it live but life is busy..I also missed out on hearing Ina May Gaskin, often called the mother of modern midwifery, speak this week. She was in NY on Monday and gave a lecture at the Museum of Motherhood. You can only be in so many places at once.
Anyway, I was only able to see part of the program, but I was able to see a few incredible articulate young men and women with Down Syndrome speak about their accomplishment, their goals and their dreams. It was very inspiring but also daunting because I know these children did not achieve all they did without tremendous input and work on their parent's part. This is where the Mommy-guilt of "Am I doing enough?" comes in.
You can still see the program on the UN's webcast site. It is pretty long, but I encourage you to take some time  to hear some of the men and women speak. You can skip around for the relevant parts.
Up next this week- our wedding anniversary tomorrow to be celebrated by going out to dinner as well as another family simcha on the weekend. Never a dull moment around here.