MOSAIC MOMENTS

In my continuation with blogging for 31 for 21 today I have the great honor to tell you about our Birthday Boy! Austin Michael Smith is a cute, rambunctious newly turned 6 year old (today!). Austin’s mom, Becky is IMDSA’s Family Assistance Coordinator.So, if you are wanting to attend our Research & Awareness Conference “Building Bridges for Down Syndrome” , but need extra help finding funds to attend, Becky is the person to contact!

I want to wish Austin a VERY Happy Birthday! I hope you have fun being six years old! It is a great age and you will discover so many great things this year!

Austin loves his pets, older brother Trey, Spongebob Squarepants, Peanut Butter, Ice Cream sandwiches, and loves to tickle people. He can blow out candles (on his or anyone else’s birthday cake!), blow a whistle, and play hide n seek without telling you that’s the game of the day!  He also sleep walks into my bed most every night and loves to cuddle. He likes to play with trains, action figures, legos, and adores Veggie Tales and pretty girls (what little boy doesn’t?). Austin also likes animated movies such as Cars, Ratatouille, Incredibles, just to name a few.

These are all the things makes Austin, Austin. Sounds pretty typical right?

Now let me tell you the stuff he’s not….he’s not talking, potty trained or in first grade.

Austin was born with mosaic Down syndrome. I had no idea before his birth that he even had this or “typical” Down Syndrome and for 5 years was led to believe it was “typical” DS. Until IMDSA’s conference in ‘07 and some research done on Austin, proved otherwise.

Life hasn’t been too demanding with Austin. Aside from repairing two holes in his heart at five months old, he has been on the go and unstoppable ever since. He crawled when doctors said he wouldn’t, he walked well before doctors expectations. Austin has, in his own way, proved people wrong about MDS or DS. Austin is a people person, he loves to wave at people from the buggy in Walmart, just one look at him and hearts melt…yes he’s that cute!

Even though Austin is non-verbal and uses sign language for communication, he does get his point across very well. He can tell you with emotions and body language if he is frustrated, angry, happy or sad. If he doesn’t know a sign for something, he will lead you by the hand to what it is that he wants (you may have to play 20 questions before you get it right!). Austin is learning new things everyday. He understands classroom rules, follows directions very well and has thus far impressed his pre-school teacher by how smart he is.

Austin has “chores” to do around the house that he can do like any other six year old, keep his room clean (very hard to do for him and Trey!), and help feed our dogs every night. I treat Austin no differently than my older son Trey, if Austin does something wrong, he gets punished the same as Trey. Austin is expected to apologize for his wrong doing and does so with prompting. Same as Trey. Austin’s other chore’s are  to help me put clothes in the washer and then the dryer and turn the dryer on, and to help carry in groceries.

I don’t treat Austin differently because he has MDS, to do so would be teaching Austin the wrong message. I do adapt things to his age/mental capabilities and adjust accordingly so.

Having Austin in my life has been hard yes, but so rewarding at the same time. Yes I get frustrated when he can’t communicate his needs, but I also celebrate the times I “get it”. Austin helped heal an open wound in my family for years with his heart surgery. My parents and I lost my brother Tommy to several birth defects in the late ’70’s, and before his death had 2 open heart surgeries when open heart surgeries were just being tested. Knowing that Austin would have to endure almost the same thing as my brother devastated me. I feared that I would loose my little boy in the same manner. So did my parents. When Austin came home a week after surgery with a clean bill of health, my family was finally able to put the past to rest.

I can’t thank God enough everyday for the joy that Austin is, how he has taught me patience when I’m not a patient person, and the meaning of unconditional love. I love Austin no matter what, whether he has MDS, DS, or nothing at all, and to me that’s what it is all about.

What I would love for Austin in the future is that he would be able to have a job, live independently (with some help), talk, and have all his dreams come true. Just like I do for Trey, just like any parent would want for their children. Will Austin be all those things? Maybe yes, maybe no. But he has his whole life to accomplish those things and a great family to help him get there!