My daughter Iris Natalia Castellanos has Down syndrome. I was told while pregnant that she would most likely have Down syndrome but did not get a confirmation of diagnosis until after she was born. From the beginning doctors are always looking for a way to tell you what your child might not achieve. My daughter is three months old. So far she made it out of the ICU after seven weeks healthy, drinks from a bottle when they said she wouldn’t, smiles, coos, turns over from tummy to back and vice versa, does full circles when placed on tummy, does baby pushups, reaches for toys, tracks toys with her eyes, shows interest when I read her books, and loves to take a bath.
I never knew what to expect when I brought her home but one thing was for sure, I was scared. Fear of the unknown can be so debilitating. Now I realize that my fears were created by professionals, most of whom are not familiar enough with children who have special needs. Iris has opened my eyes to a whole other world in just three months. Every day that I watch her grow and thrive I realize that the possibilities are endless for her. The only one that has the power to put any limits on what she can do would be my husband and I. We have decided that there are no limits for her (of course within reason once she is a teenager). I believe that she will make her mark in this world like she already has on my heart. She is smart beyond her tender three months of age. She has come a long way since her days in the NICU. She is determined. She is feisty. She is beautiful. She is my daughter Iris. She is my world.