Pick Me Up! Special – September 2019

There’s

nevera

dullday

withRosie

around

beachandnature.
She isn’t walking well yet, so
Hannah and I take turns carrying
her on our shoulders.
But as soon as we put her down
on the beach, she’s off crawling.
She’ll go over to the families
having a picnic and plonk herself
down on their blankets. Smiling,

she’ll point at the food.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I tell

hem, rushing over and

grabbing Rosie.

But people never mind.

We want her to have her

dom, but occasionally we

to rein her in.

condition means she

ave the same social

s other children.

at’s part of her charm.

cember 2017

Rosie has a weakened immune

system – and recently she

developed a chest infection, which

quickly turned into pneumonia.

She’s been in Salisbury District

Hospital for a few

weeks now.

I’ve slept in a bed

beside her, while

Hannah stays home

with the other kids.

For days, Rosie was

too weak to eat

anything, a tube in her

nose pumping her full

of antibiotics.

Today was the first day she’s

been well enough to sit up, so I

pulleddownthehospitalTVand

played her favourite film, Moana.

She even did her signature dance.

Later, I posted a photo

on Twitter.

It reached 87,000

likes and Rosie even got

a get well message from

Dwayne ‘The Rock’

Johnson – the voice of

Maui in Moana!

21 February 2019

Our family have been

on a day trip to the

beautiful National Park in

Stourhead, Wiltshire.

And, as usual, Rosie was feeling

rather peckish!

We’d only just arrived, but she

was keen to tuck into the

sandwiches we’d brought.

In her favourite stripy wellies, she

staged a sit-down protest.

She just sat down in the wet grass

and refused to get up.

Eventually, Ixia managed to

distract her and she carried on with

the walk in good spirits.

Our strong-willed, cheeky,

loving, incredible girl!

Today

Rosie is now five years old.

She’s doing so well in school, and

has made many friends.

She’s the most carefree little girl I

know, and I’m so happy she’s ours.

I didn’t know what to expect

when I found out Rosie had Down’s

syndrome, but now I wouldn’t

change a thing.

She’s perfect in every way.

REAL LIFE

She has a weakened

immune system

She’s taken

everything

in her stride

Rosie and I have the

best times together

Hannah is in awe

of how much our

daughter achieves