I nearly squealed when adorable Kingsley came into the studio with these perfect rosy cheeks.  I may have been tempted to steal her.

But the icing on the cake was her sweet disposition. She’s such a happy girl whose love for life was so evident.

We had so much fun playing dress up with with this beauty.  She seriously smiled and laughed in every single set up we put her in.

And the best part: it was Kingsley’s first birthday on the day of her session!!

Kingsley’s mama Courtney did not know that Kingsley had Trisomy 21 until after she was born.  While scary at the beginning, Courtney is glad that they were surprised with the extra chromosome.  Courtney writes:

It was not what we expected, and it was scary at first, but Kingsley is such a blessing to us. She brings us so much joy. It’s really fun to watch her hit milestones at her own pace, and we celebrate each one with her.

Kingsley has a million possibilities in front of her just like a typically developing child.  Nothing will hold her back from achieving her dreams.

Remember Robert?

Last year this little charmer came to the studio, was woken up from a nap, and produced a million smiles.  I couldn’t believe it!

He’s grown a lot!

And one thing is for sure, his sisters absolutely adore Robert!

His laugh is infectious.

One of the things I hear over and over throughout the course of these mini sessions is “I wish people would just see a child first.”

With Down syndrome (and other special needs that are visible, people are quick to ask about disability or ability or “What is it like to have a baby with that condition?”  Worse still, people generally refer to children with Down syndrome as “the Down syndrome baby/child/person”.

Like all individuals with Down syndrome, Robert is a child first.  Just like any other child he longs for your love and affection.  Referring to him as “the Down syndrome baby” is offensive because it defines Robert by his diagnosis.  But Robert is more than his diagnosis.  Robert is a little boy with an amazing sense of humor and a family who loves him.  He also happens to have Down syndrome.

So what is the best way to refer to a child with a disability?  By their first name.

If you need to reference their medical condition use their first name first.  Robert, who has Down syndrome.  Holden, who has Sensory Processing Disorder. Debbie, who has Cerebral Palsy.  Their conditions do not define them.

I first met Stephanie when she was just two months old.

I was so very excited when her mama came back again for this year’s Down Syndrome Awareness Mini Sessions.  Actually her daddy brought her, which made it twice as fun to surprise mama with images!

They grow so very quickly!  Stephanie was 8 months old at the time of this new shoot.  And her daddy and I were dying laughing at her antics.

Due to the low body tone associated with Down syndrome, Stephanie had not mastered sitting up.  We had propped her up on the pillows on our bed set up and we would have approximately 45 seconds to take a few images before she would intentionally roll herself off the pillows.  It was hilarious.

Obviously Stephanie has a sense of humor, but her mama also described her this way: “Stephanie is sweet, calm, and laid back. She has an adoring 2 year old sister who loves to entertain her and make her smile. Her favorite activity is playing with her toy piano and drum.”  Sounds pretty much like every other baby you meet with a two year old sister, right?

Stephanie’s mama Amanda had this to say to other mamas expecting a little one with Down syndrome:

There are many, many, many more joys then hardships in raising a child with special needs. At first, it’s easy to think of all the hardships, but soon the joy will overcome that.

~Amanda

I know that I have found so much joy in getting to know these children and their parents.  I’m so grateful to be given this opportunity to show everyone just how amazing each of these families and children are.