Kelle Hampton {31 for 21}

If you're a member of the Ds community you've heard of Kelle Hampton.  Or you've been living under a rock for the past 3 years.  Chances are you've heard of her even if you have no Ds connection.  Her book Bloom was published this year & she's a powerhouse in the world of blogging.

My neighbor first introduced me to Kelle just days after Reese's birth.  My initial visit to Enjoying the Small Things was my first trip to blogosphere.  A link at the top instructed me to "Start Here if You're New."  I did just that (I'm very good at following directions) & it led me to Nella's birth story, one of the most beautiful & heartwrenching pieces I've ever read.  I've been hooked ever since.

Kelle has 2 daughters, Lainey & Nella, & her youngest daughter has designer genes.  She suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage between the births of her girls & found out about Nella's Ds at birth.  Now she's pregnant again.  Does this story sound vaguely familiar to anyone?  (FYI, those are where the similarities end - you'll understand if you read her blog.)

Enjoying the Small Things introduced me to the big bad world of blogging.  Who knew so many people bared their souls for the whole world to read?  Luckily for me, there are a slew of parents openly sharing their experiences with Down syndrome on a daily basis & as I've said before, these were my lifeline in the days & weeks immediately following Reese's birth. 

I love reading everyone's story.  Perspectives differ & opinions don't always jive, but the underlying theme is clear.  Our kids are loved like crazy.

Here are a few of my absolute faves:

Confessions of the Chromosomally Enhanced:   Directly from Elizabeth, the writer's, bio:  "I was blessed to grow up with a big sister Leanne, who has Down syndrome.  She is the light of our lives and in March 2010, she inspired another incredible blessing in our family - the adoption of our daughter, Josie, who also happens to have Down syndrome.  In August 2011, our family was blessed once more when our second daughter, Merryn, was born.  The chromosomally enchanced life is not without its challenges, but the rewards are rich beyond compare."

I found this blog early on & instantly fell in love.  The majority of the blogs devoted to Ds have babies & children as main characters.  Although it's hard to resist a baby with almond shaped eyes, I enjoy reading about older kids & adults with Ds and Aunt Leanne is always sure to entertain.  This blog taught me a very important lesson early on.  Elizabeth has intimate knowledge about Ds.  She's an expert when it comes to living & loving someone with designer genes & she chose to do it all over again when she & her husband adopted Josie.  This is powerful message for us Ds amateurs.   And speaking of adoption...

Pudge and Biggie:  Directly from Courtney, the writer's, bio:  "Every morning I wake up with the solitary goal of ending the day with our house still standing.  Every morning Pudge and Biggie wake up with the shared goal of bringing this house DOWN.  Check in for daily updates on who's in the lead."

Courtney & her husband adopted not one, but two, newborns with Ds.  And they adopted not one, but two, newborns with Ds sporting identical Atrioventricular Septal Defects.  Yep, the same defect that Reese had repaired in April.  Remember how unbelievably stressed we were before her surgery?  Well, multiply that times two.  These are remarkable people.

Courtney also has a family connection to Ds.  I beg you to read about it here.  You will not be disappointed but if you're human, you will be in tears.

I could go on & on & on about my favorite blogs & I'm sure I'll mentions a few more in future posts.  For new parents, just realize you are not alone - the proof is in the blogs.