8 months....yeah!

Cora successfully met her 8 month anniversary and marches on with gusto into the coming month.  She has fought for every day that she has been given and she just astounds me with her "can do" attitude. Here are some of her milestones for this month:

•  she can roll from front to back and back to front
• she has started to reach for objects while doing tummy time
• during tummy time she has started to draw her legs up to her booty and starting swimming with her arms and legs
• she scratches everything her hands come into contact with to hear the sound and feel the texture of what she touches
• she signs "milk" when hungry
• she says "mama"
• When you sing a song and stop the song and tell her its her turn to sing Cora will make a long drawn out verbal sound
• she is able to sit with little support on her hips
• she has started laughing more regularly
• she smiles in response to laughter and smiles
• she has stranger awareness and shows separation anxiety
• when you hold Cora close and pat her back she will pat you with her hand
• she continues to eat sweat potatoes, cereal, and mixed fruit from a spoon (with the adult feeding her)
• she absolutely...positively....does NOT like applesauce or anything with a strong apple flavor
• Cora also does NOT like grape tasting things
• she can lick a sucker
• Cora is able to communicate her likes and dislikes and discomfort
• when she hears a strange sound she will search for the source by moving her head and body in its direction
• she is starting to give kisses when kissed

I list these for a point of reference for Cora and to help others who have children with Down syndrome.  I also like to brag a little about Cora (just being honest here) and her accomplishments because she works so hard for each one of them.  Even though she is set back do to lack of energy and the heart problems, Cora is making up for it with all those little smiles. I don't have any expectation or follow a chart and push Cora to be anywhere particular in the milestones.  I just marvel at how much she accomplishes and the way she will stay focused on a toy until she figures out a way to touch it and reach it.  As long as she is thriving....charts don't mean a thing.  Cora is what matters most.

One of the things that we have to remember is that Cora is an individual before she is a "Downs Syndrome".  Every child develops differently.  When I am asked the question "How bad does she have Downs syndrome" I usually answer "I don't know.  Did you have your child IQ tested when they were 8 months old?"  I really try not to pigeon hole Cora with her Down syndrome or label her because pretty soon everyone would only see the Down syndrome and not the beautiful child that she is. 
So, we celebrate this journey with the milestones achieved and don't dwell on those milestones not yet found.