They are the happiest/sweetest little kids!

We had big plans for the day so I was a little worried when I remembered (last night) that we were supposed to go to the flu shot clinic this morning for Leightyn's second dose of the flu vaccine. I was quite impressed with the set up there since we were in and out in 10 minutes max and got free coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts to boot. I got to hold Leightyn while she got her shot and although she made a weird face for a few seconds she did not cry at all :) Poor baby has been poked so many times it doesn't even phase her anymore. She came home ate a full bottle and napped before we headed to lunch.
We met my best friend at House of Japan a birthday tradition. It is a Japanese Steakhouse where they cook your food in front of you. Leightyn was a little unsure what to think of the huge flame and the heat when the chef lit the cook surface but she wasn't bothered at all by the clanking of his utensils as he tossed them into the air doing tricks. This was surprising since noises like that have been known to startle or scare her in the past. She spent lunch first eating herself, then cooing/talking to Tiffany, and she was a huge fan of the orange sherbet they bring out for dessert. I somehow managed to lose one of Lay Lay's new little fall outfits from her bag, but other than that lunch was great and I was more than full when we left!
We went back home so Leightyn could get another nap and bottle in before heading out to meet Tiff again for The Gallery Hop , another birthday tradition. I considered getting a sitter for Leightyn since we had already had a busy day and weren't supposed to meet Tiff until 6. We decided to give taking her along a try. I love the Gallery hope with all the people watching, music, and beautiful art and was hoping she would like it too! The Fall weather has really set in around here so we bundled Leightyn in layers and put her cute little dog hat on her. She loves music so was a happy happy baby as we walked up and down the streets with all the live musicians out on the sidewalk. I even managed to push the huge stroller in and out of several of the shops and galleries without having to accidentally purchase anything which was a huge feat! That area is so far from being handicap (stroller) accessible, the side walks are horrible, shop doors have huge steps to get into them, and the shops and aisles are so tiny, not to mention the large crowds on nights like tonight making it even more of a challenge. Nest time I think we will try the baby carrier so we can just strap her to my belly or Billy's back!
We ended the night with some more food, Z Pizza! Honestly I was hoping for something a little more fun since one of the best parts about the Short North area is its unique eateries. However with the baby this seemed the easiest and least crowded option and was right on our way back to the car. To my shock it had its own uniqueness, everything is made with fresh organic ingredients and the pizza is cooked on bricks over fire. There were the classics as well as some yummy twists, I had the BBQ Chicken, Billy had the trusty pepp and chz, Tiff went with the Greek, and Leightyn even had a piece of crust. The pizza not only tasted amazing but it was super affordable our bill was $8.95 for 2 large slices of pizza, a beer, and a coke! The Short North is the only Z Pizza location in Ohio but there were several in other states and it is definitely somewhere we will be frequenting! I love eating so this is a topic you will probably hear a lot about!
Now to my point of the day! People were talking about Leightyn being a doll at lunch and then tonight all people kept saying was how cute that baby in that hat is, how happy that baby is, and how awake and alert that baby is at this late hour (and no it really wasn't THAT late, it was only 9 when we left for home). It got me thinking about something I am sure every parent of a child with Down Syndrome has heard, "They are the happiest/sweetest little kids!" or some similar variation of that. It is one of those things people always say to you when they find out you have a baby with DS. I know they have the best of intentions and really think they hope it will somehow make you feel better about the diagnosis. This is one of the biggest myths about Down Syndrome. Okay, today yes, Leightyn was the happiest sweetest little baby, but that is not always the case. I will prove that in another post here this month I am sure. Leightyn's good mood tonight had nothing to do with her diagnosis and a whole lot to do with her taking 2 long naps, and eating all 4 of her 8 oz bottles as well as cereal, a fruit, and veggie. Then add in some good music, lots of people, lights, plus new surroundings to check out and you get one happy baby! I wonder when these people make these comments do they know she has DS? Can they tell by looking at her? If they know is her very happy mood tonight feeding into their assumption that our children really are sweet and happy all the time? The answer to those questions I will never know. One thing I do know is that Leightyn like any baby in this world has both good days and bad. She definitely makes being a Mommy easy most of the time and really is an easygoing and happy person but that, I am sure, has nothing to do with Down Syndrome, and everything to do with the fact she is my daughter. She must get that from me :)