It's his party

One of the many, many little things that crossed our minds when our son was diagnosed with Down Syndrome was whether he'd be invited to birthday parties and have friends to come to his parties. Little did we know he'd have a whole group of same-aged peers with the same diagnosis, most of whom have birthdays March through June, so that we have a busy birthday season! And little did we know how many other friends and neighbors would come to Nathan's birthdays too.

Like many kids with DS, Nathan has some sensory issues. Sometimes he has a negative reaction in indoor playplaces. He gets scared and clingy. I had some concerns he could get this way if we had a whole ton of people over at our house. With the March 1st birthday, though, even in California there is no guarantee of sunny weather for an outdoor party. I planned a party at the park, invited a bunch of friends, and hoped for the best.

And it WAS the best! We had planned the party for 2-4 and rain was in the forecast for after 4PM. The kids played at the park,

ate pizza

and had cupcakes.

I modified Nathan's pumpkin muffin recipe and left some cupcakes frosting-free for him, and for once he actually ate his cake! We had so many kids with DS (5 including Nathan) that a mom at the park thought we were having a support group meeting (she has a 10-year-old with DS, and we exchanged email addresses). And it was wonderful to see all the family and friends who came.
Most importantly, Nathan had a good time. His party was not an overstimulating ordeal for him. He got to eat some of his favorite stuff, see some of his favorite people, and play at the park. What more could he ask for?

And as a mom, what more could I ask for? I feel so lucky to have our wonderful group of friends and family who came to celebrate with us. And I am grateful to have had 4 birthdays to celebrate with this little boy who has overcome so many challenges in his 4 years. Party on, Nathan.