"A Special Trip"

That's what I told Playette we were going on today. She was home from school because she still wasn't feeling well and I had a mission that had already been planned. I decided to allow it to be a surprise. She was very into it and wanted to pack a suitcase. 

It wasn't that kind of trip though.

When we lived in Virginia Beach, we made friends with a family that had quite a bit in common with ours. They lived only a couple of minutes away, both of us are Navy families, and we each had one child with Down syndrome. We even shared therapists.

The kids got along famously. I've written about how Playette used to call her friend "Pillow" because she couldn't pronounce his name. 

When it was time for us to move, it was a difficult transition.

As recently as Friday, Playette was asking about him. She does that often. She really misses him and will even call other boys by his name.

Before we did move, we added Dez to our family. And then this spring, their family added a new son as well.

As a matter of fact, a couple of other mamas who also had only children welcomed boys to their families as well. Must've been something in the water down there. It's nice that we can share this new experience together, even if only virtually. It is hugely different having a typically-developing child after your first child has Down syndrome.

So, while talking to my friend a while back, I realized that I could very easily pass along baby clothes to her as Dez outgrew them. The only problem was that we no longer lived anywhere near one another and the amount of clothing was growing by the week.

Since she was visiting family about two hours away from where we live now, we decided to meet in the middle to do the exchange today. While it wasn't part of the original plan to bring Playette, I was really glad that she'd be able to participate after all. 

All I needed to do was make it across a bridge that scares the everloving crap out of me. Twice.

I did it. Twice. 

That's how you know these folks are special.

It took the kids a little time to warm up to each other again, but it went well. We sat at a rest stop picnic table and the kids shared snacks while the mamas talked. 

I needed that. 

And they're just too cute together. 

Doesn't he look like a mack?!

The whole gang.