31 for 21

October is Down Syndrome Awareness month. I'm taking the 2nd Annual 31 for 21 Challenge and blogging everyday this month (I just heard about this, thus the late start) in honor of my son Phoenix. 

Phoenix is now 3 years old and thriving. He started walking at 21 months and he understands two languages and uses sign language. He is an active little boy who has not stopped us from living, but rather enriches our life in a way we never could have asked for. 

Here is his birth story...

Phoenix was mom’s birthday present, born 3 days before her 29th birthday. I had a wonderful pregnancy. I looked and felt great!!! And was very proud of having a 100% natural birth. We had opted not to do any prenatal screenings.

A few hours after Phoenix’s birth, our midwife and nurse tenderly told us they suspected our son had Down Syndrome. I was on a high from the accomplishment of the delivery so I was not extremely distraught over the conversation, unlike my husband who cried and prayed all night that what we had been told was not true.

The next day the doctors told us they were 95% sure that Phoenix had Down Syndrome. He was then admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and that same week a genetic test confirmed that our son had Trisomy 21. He spent 5 weeks in the hospital and used supplemental oxygen for 9 months. Still, he was able to nurse.

We could have never made it through this period without the love and support of our friends. Phoenix had over 40 visitors while he was in the NICU. Thus, we chose Amado for his middle name, which means "loved" in Spanish.