3.21

I started my day at 6:00 this morning.  I woke up and could tell it was raining outside, and then I realized what it was that had woken me in the first place.  I heard a soft cooing coming from the side of my bed and my first thought was "Please go back to sleep. Just roll over and go back to sleep".  After a few minutes I knew that wasn't going to happen, so I turned on the light and was greeted by the biggest smiles I have ever seen.  And I was reminded why I get up in the morning.

Today was Jude's Day.  Every day in my life is Jude's day, but today the world recognized it too.  It was World Down Syndrome Day, and I was proud to celebrate.  I may talk about it too much to some, and not enough to others.  It helps me get a grip on things to express how I feel, but it does not define who he is.  My Jude Man is defined by the warm smiles he'll give to strangers that hold him, but especially to his mommy and daddy.  He's defined by the hair that stands straight off his head, that won't go down even when wet, and curls in the back making him look like he's from whoville in The Grinch.  He's defined by the noises and faces he makes, by the fact that he'll fall asleep the moment he's in his car seat.  His smokey blue eyes that I get lost in every day, wondering how he got them from a green eyed dad and brown eyed mom.  The soft giggles he makes when you tickle him under his chin. That, is what defines him.

Today was a day that I wanted to make the world aware.  Instead I held him in my arms all day, cuddled and snuggled.  Kissed and loved.  I know HE is already making so much more of a difference than I ever could.  And I know I have time.

So for now I say goodnight, I am going to cuddle between my two best men.  My world has been changed because of this little man, and I hope you will all open your heart to let yours be changed too.

(I promise he smiles a lot more than what pictures show.  It's amazing that we still haven't been able to capture it in a picture, he's a bit camera shy.  We'll get it someday.)