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    • Names A - L >
      • Abhi
      • Amber Skye
      • Andrew >
        • Meet Andrew and his Family
      • Andy >
        • Meet Andy and his Family
      • Anthony
      • Aubrey
      • Brody
      • Chase
      • Evan
      • Farid
      • Grace >
        • Guisela's perspective
        • Meet Grace and her Family
      • Gianni
      • Halle
      • Henry >
        • Meet Henry and his Family
      • Irving Jr.
      • Jessica
      • JoJo
      • John
      • John S.
    • Names M - Z >
      • Magdalena
      • Matthew
      • Michael >
        • Susan's perspective
        • Meet Michael and his Family
      • Nina >
        • Julie's perspective
        • Meet Nina and her Family
      • Pauly
      • Ryan B. >
        • Meet Ryan B. and his Family
      • Ryan Y.
      • Sadey
      • Sophia
      • Thayer
      • Will
  • Tween Beat
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    • Ds Awareness Workbook
    • 21 Facts About Down Syndrome Page
    • Blank Sock Coloring Page
    • WDSD Coloring Page
    • WDSD Inclusion Coloring Page
    • WDSD Rock Your Socks Coloring Page
  • Past Events
    • 2019 >
      • 5/4/19 Friends Night Out
      • 4/11/19 Meet the Author of "Raising Henry"
      • 4/1/19 Coffee Talk
      • 3/30/19 Bouncing Bears Open Gym
      • 3/24/19 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • 3/23/19 Let's Make Art
      • 3/22/19 WDSD Two Roads Brewery Fundraiser
      • 3/21/19 DS ACT & Chapel Haven WDSD Celebration
      • 3/13/19 Hamden Police DS ACT Fundraiser at Mickey's Restaurant >
        • 2/2/19 Adults Night Out
    • 2018 >
      • 12/9/18 21 Strong Family Holiday Party
      • 12/1/18 Holiday Party for Adults
      • 11/2/18 Playdate at Erin Wells' Home
      • 10/20/18 Halloween Party
      • 10/13/18 DS ACT Annual Conference
      • 10/5/18 Mom's Night Out
      • 9/8/18 Buddy Walk - Stepping Up for Down Syndrome
      • 8/19/18 21 Strong Picnic
      • 7/21/18 DS ACT Annual Picnic
      • 6/3/18 Beardsley Zoo Bridgeport, CT
      • 6/2/18 Mom's Night Out
      • 4/14/18 Playdate at Bodie's Place Playground
      • 4/6/18 WDSD Two Roads Fundraiser
      • 4/5/18 Coffee Talk/Playdate in Stratford
      • 3/31/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 3/27/18 Coffee Talk Trumbull
      • 3/25/18 Fire Station Party
      • 3/18/18 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • 3/15/18 Coffee Talk Stamford
      • 3/11/18 Forever 21 World Down Syndrome Day Event New Haven
      • 3/10/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 3/3/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 2/24/18 21 Strong MNO Potluck
      • 2/21/18 Coffee Talk Trumbull
      • 2/17/18 Forever 21 Bowling Party
      • 2/15/18 Coffee Talk Danbury
      • 2/3/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 2/2/18 21 Strong Brewport Dinner
      • 1/23/18 KidCity Playdate
      • 1/20/18 Legal Guardianship Process presentation
      • 1/20/18 Bouncing Bears
      • 1/13/18 Bouncing Bears
    • 2017 >
      • Jan thru June 2017 >
        • 6/3/17 Tween Beat Meet Up
        • 6/2/17 Playdate in Stamford
        • 5/30/17 Born This Way Viewing Party
        • 5/30/17 Coffee Talk
        • 5/6/17 Mom's Night Out
        • 5/5/17 Coffee Talk
        • 4/30/17 Spring Fling
        • 4/28/17 Beauty & the Beast
        • 4/25/17 Coffee Talk
        • 4/13/17 Earthplace Playdate
        • 4/11/17 Family Breakfast
        • 4/1 Bouncing Bears
        • 3/28/17 Coffee Talk
        • 3/12/17 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
        • 1/28/2017 Tween Beat Bowling
      • July thru Dec 2017 >
        • 12/17/17 Tween Beat Hibachi Dinner
        • 12/9/17 21 Strong Holiday Party
        • 12/5/17 Coffee Talk
        • 11/6/17 Tween Beat Dinner Stamford, CT
        • 11/4/17 CDSC Annual Convention
        • 10/21/17 Halloween Party
        • 10/14/17 21 Strong Photoshoot
        • 10/7/17 Tween Beat Get Air Stamford
        • 9/30/17 CDSC Buddy Walk - Stepping Up for Down Syndrome
        • 9/23/17 - Star Factory, Stratford, CT
        • 9/21/17 - El Rocoto Event, Stamford, CT
        • 9/19/17 - Chipotle Event Fairfield, CT
        • 9/9/17 - Stepping Stones Museum
        • 8/23/17 Flamig Farm Tour and Picnic
        • 8/22/17 Mom's Night Out, Milford, CT
        • 8/19/17 Tween Beat Mini Golf
        • 8/17/17 FUNdraiser Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale
        • 8/15/17 Storytime for the Young DS Community
        • 8/12/17 21 Strong Picnic
        • 8/10/17 Mom's Night Out, Milford, CT
        • 7/21/17 Storytime for the Young DS Community
        • 7/12/17 Playdate Picnic West Hartford
        • 7/8/17 CDSC Family Picnic
    • 2016 >
      • Jan thru June 2016 >
        • 6/13/16 Breakfast
        • 6/6/16 Sesame Place
      • July thru Dec 2016 >
        • 12/3/16 Holiday Party for Adults
        • 11/22/16 Mom's Night Out
        • 11/4/16 Family Movie Night
        • 10/28/16 Moms Night Out
        • 10/22/16 Halloween Party
        • 8/20/16 FAMILY PICNIC
        • Fall Group Music Therapy
        • 10/14/16 Breakfast Get Together
    • 2015 >
      • 10/17/15 Halloween Celebration
      • 5/8/15 Guys night out
      • 5/1/15 Ladies Night out
      • 4/30/15 Playdate in Stratford
      • 3/29/15 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • Bouncing Bears 2014-2015
    • 2014 >
      • 10/18/14 Halloween Gathering
      • Special Needs Playgroup: Tuesdays 3-5 at Tot Town Party and Play, Brookfield, CT
      • 7/19/14 Family Picnic
      • 3/23/14 World Down Syndrome Day
    • 2013 >
      • 10/12/13 Halloween Festival
      • 8/4/13 Family Picnic
      • 5/16/13 Breakfast
      • 3/24/13 World Down Syndrome Day
      • 3/9/13 Parents' Gathering
      • Bouncing Bears
    • 2012 >
      • 10/20/12 Halloween Gathering
      • 10/5/12 Family Library Time
      • 9/25/12 Moms Night Out
      • 6/19/12 Playgroup
      • 6/9/12 Beardsley Zoo
      • 5/4/12 Reading Seminar
      • 3/29/12 Mom's Night Out
      • 3/21/12 Mom's Night Out
      • 3/18/12 World Down Syndrome Day
      • 1/19/12 Mom's Night Out
      • 1/6/12 Playgroup
    • 2011 >
      • 5/26/11 Moms Night Out
      • 5/13/11 Playdate
      • 3/20/11 World Down Syndrome Day Celebration
      • 2/15/11 Chinese New Year Luncheon
    • 2010 >
      • 11/17/2010 Breakfast
      • 10/30/2010 Halloween Gathering
      • 10/17/10 Walk in the Park for Abilis
      • 10/16/10 Buddy Walk CT
      • 10/3/10 Romp for Research
      • 4/8/10 Preparing your child to read seminar
      • 3/20/10 World Down Syndrome Day Flyer
  • Resources
    • Advocates, Attorneys, Inclusion, Legal Resources
    • Books >
      • Books for Children
      • Books for Parents and Educators
    • Camp >
      • DS ACT Camp Grants
    • Down Syndrome Awareness Videos
    • Education >
      • Early Intervention
      • K - 12 >
        • Friendship/Talking to Children
      • Literacy Tutoring >
        • Reading Resources
      • Post-Secondary Programs
    • Employment
    • General information on Down syndrome and Ds Resources
    • Financial Assistance >
      • DDS Grants
      • DS ACT Camp Grants
      • Molly's Helping Hand
      • Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation
      • Respite for Families
      • Save the Kid Fund (Bikes)
      • The Umbrella Club
      • UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation
    • Fun and Unique Resources >
      • Art Programs
      • Dance
      • Daniela's Little Wish - Free Birthday Cakes
      • Pageants
      • Passes and Tips for things to do
      • SPORTS
      • Therapeudic Riding
      • Toys/Games
    • Medical >
      • Autism / Down Syndrome dual diagnosis
      • Behavior
      • Breastfeeding
      • Dental and Orthodontics
      • Endocrinologists
      • ENT
      • GI Doctors
      • Nutrition, Wellness, Reiki
      • Pediatric Opthalmoligists
      • Physical Therapy
      • Psychiatrists
      • Research
      • Sleep Disorders
      • Speech Therapy
      • Therapeutic Tools / Toys
    • Technology
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  • Photos
21 StrongThrough the acceptance and respect of all individuals, we allow everyone to thrive and their gifts to shine. ~21 Strong
Picture
 
“Ryan was born with a bang in July 2006.  At 32 weeks I was in the hospital overnight for monitoring due to the baby’s erratic heartbeat. Well aware of the risks that come with prematurity, I was praying all would be fine and I’d go home the next day to allow the baby to keep cooking until done. 
 
But the baby didn’t care about the risks, apparently, and the doctor was not happy with the heartbeat, so in I went to the operating room. After four attempts to insert the needle into my spine (apparently I have small spaces), we were ready to go.
 
The doctor held up the baby and announced “It’s a boy!”  I took one look at him and couldn’t believe my eyes. I exclaimed right away “He’s perfect!”, because he was.  He looked fully cooked to me. He was beautiful. He looked right into my eyes with his gorgeous blue eyes. All my worries about having a premature baby faded away. 
 
That was until the next morning when the neonatologist walked into my room.
 
While it took me a while to come to grips about Ryan’s diagnosis of Down syndrome, I always loved him as him. He was still that perfect baby I saw when they first held him up. It took me a while to realize that, but I did.  
 
At first I thought perhaps it was all a dream. Maybe I fainted in between one of those sticks by the anesthesiologist. Once the shock -- and dream theory -- wore off, I felt really vulnerable all the time. Did those older women in the grocery store who cooed at Ryan know he had Down syndrome – is that why they were so curious and attentive?
 
21 Strong takes away the vulnerability.
 
I love that when my son Colin sees another child who happens to have Down syndrome, but he is not so sure, he asks “Is he 21 Strong?”
 
21 Strong equals love, support, acceptance, peace, fun and being yourself.
 
It is so heartwarming to read all of these family spotlights. I am so proud to be a part of this group. I can’t believe Ryan is now an elder statesman and part of the “tween beat.” I thank Melody and all the other moms who are keeping it going.  “Through the acceptance and respect of all individuals, we allow everyone to thrive and their gifts to shine.” Susan’s original mantra remains today, and for that I am so grateful.”
 
~Tricia
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