When my little Molly was born, doctors and experts constantly told us how life would be “different” for us and talked to us about the obstacles we would face along the way.  Everything from sensory issues, physical and mental setbacks were discussed the first few months.  It was information overload as parents new to the special needs world.  I guess they figured we needed to expect the worse…or maybe by preparing us for the worst would we could appreciate the high points more.

So a few weeks ago, when we decided to pack up the girls for a day out on the boat and playing along the shores, I was a nervous wreck.  Would she be scared of the boat? What about her life jacket – would it be too big? Would she panic?   How would she handle the water?   My concerns were instantly gone as soon as we got on the boat – she absolutely loved it!  She was laughing and smiling the whole time! She had such a fun day, never got upset and she loved splashing around in her float.

Last week, my anxious nerves set in again as we traveled to Virginia.  We spent time at the pool and the beach. I was curious to see how she handled the new surroundings, along with the sand and the water.  Once again…she loved it.  Just like the previous boat day, she enjoyed the day.  (And took a great nap later too!) I couldn’t get over how much she loved the beach, especially the sand.  Luckily, she hasn’t mastered hand/mouth coordination too good so she didn’t even try to eat the sand. (Small victory – yay!) I think she surprised everyone with her love for the water…and the boat too.

Funny that just a few days of fun on the water caused me so much worry.  I love that Molly is experiencing new things and I’m proud that we aren’t holding her back from living a positive and rewarding life. I’m sure there will be times when we are faced with hurdles due to Molly’s diagnosis of Down syndrome,  but for now, I’m going to go with the flow and enjoy our days of fun on the water. ..and whatever else comes our way!