Downs Side Up: Mia

Showing posts with label Mia. Show all posts

From one Sister to Another: From the Heart

Each of our girls has a scrapbook that we stick memorabilia into.

Sometimes they go between home and school. It's a casual affair and often we forget to update them.

I opened Natty's yesterday to stick in a piece of artwork and this is what I found (word for word, spelling for spelling).

I have a lump in my throat typing this up...

Messig From Mia

To Natty

I love you so much

and you are the best sister

in the world and so preshus to me.

You are so important to me

and if you weren't in this world

my life woudn't be the same

and that would be terrible.

So, I love you very much and you mean evrything to me

Lots and lots of love from Mia xxx

And so you see, all my fears for Mia when Natty entered her world, that she would hinder her, hold her back were unfounded. Yes, she takes up a lot of attention sometimes, but we make sure that Mia has plenty of alone time with each of us. Now I can see that the young woman Mia is turning into is caring, thoughtful and sensitive to others. She is always the first to tell schoolmates that 'we are all different'. Read Mia's blog post Mia's thoughts about her little sister Natty here.

Mummy and Daddy Love You Both More than Words Can Say

Mummy and Daddy Downs Side Up

Just a couple of weeks ago Natty spontaneously said "I Love You" for the first time. Those three words that mean so much.

She'd signed it, repeated it back to us, shown us with hugs and squeezes, even said "Mummy, Daddy, you happy me", but this was a new high for us.

Mia continues to tell us daily with words, poems, drawings and letters.

Here are some words I wrote for the girls at the beginning of the school year, on Natty's fisrt day, exactly a year ago. We gave it to them in an envelope with a gift of flowers. This was written before I began blogging.

Mummy and Daddy are so very proud of you both for so many different reasons...

Mia Bella, you were born beautiful and smart, dark and strong, with a wise knowing face that midwives said 'showed you had been here before'. You instinctively and impulsively knew what you wanted out of life from day 1, and communicated it to everyone around you.
7 years on, you are not only clever, musical, artistic, feisty and unafraid to stand out and be different, but you are the most caring and thoughtful and hilarious friend, clasmate and family member anyone could wish for.
Believe me, you will get there, wherever 'there' is.

Natalia, you have overcome obstacles that few can comprehend. You fought for your life in those first weeks in intensive care. You learnt to breastfeed after 3 months, against all odds. You survived heart surgery. You have learnt to walk and talk and smile and sing and paint and cook and ride horses amd make friends. Most of all you have changed opinions and melted stereotypes wherever you go. Today you confidently stride into mainstream school, making a mockery of all who doubted you ever would. This is the beginning of a new and long journey, but it is an exciting one.

We love you both more than words can say xxxx