Now it's time for my story.
In March 2000, Mommy found out she was pregnant with me. Her pregnancy was very different from the one with Giovanna, so different that Mommy thought I was a boy. Daddy knew I was a girl. A lot of things happened while Mommy was pregnant with me. I was trying to let Mommy know that I was going to be different than she expected, but she wouldn't listen to me.
On October 24, 2000, Mommy went into labour with me. I wasn't due for another 3 weeks and 6 days. These really nice ladies named Leslie, Jane and Sharon,our midwives, took care of my Mommy while she was working to get me out. My Daddy, Giovanna, Nonna (Mommy's Mommy), and Cassie (Mommy's sister) were in the room helping Mommy through the pushing. As soon as I came out, Daddy cut my cord and they placed me on Mommy's chest. I just kept looking at her. Finally, I got to meet all those people whose voices I kept hearing. It was pretty neat. Mommy got up to have her shower and when she came out the midwives told her about me having Down syndrome. I think Mommy was scared, but I knew we'd be fine.
When I was 2 weeks old, I was diagnosed with AVSD (AtrioVenticular Septal Defect). This meant that I had 2 holes in my heart and would need to have an operation to fix it. I had my operation on February 9, 2001 at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Five days after my operation, the people at the hospital said I could drive home with my Mommy and Daddy, I was so excited. With all the problems I had with my heart, I never learned how to take a bottle and I was fed with a tube in my nose. When I was 6 months old, Mommy and Daddy took me to CHEO to have another operation to put a tube in my tummy so I could eat. A lot has happened since then, but now I can eat. The only thing is I like to eat by myself, I don't like to be fed and I don't like to drink anything. Mommy says I'll drink, she's working on it. I am now almost 16 months old and I'm doing a lot of things Mommy didn't think I would do. I'm not crawling or walking yet because I don't want to. I keep trying to let Mommy know that when I'm ready, I will, but she gets really sad when I don't. I'll show her when I'm ready.
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