RememberToPlaywiththeKids I think it is impossible to imagine, because when you imagine having a child with SN, you imagine it being all-encompassing, all-consuming. So you only imagine the difficulties.
So, let me tell you about DD1, the apple of my eye, who happens to be disabled.
She has sparkling blue eyes, and brown hair that is always messy, no matter how much I brush it. She has a really, really cheeky grin, and has learned lots of phrases to tease people with, such as 'you're a pickle', 'you're a rudey two-shoes', 'you are poo-poos' (
), 'you're a slow-coach' (ironic, given that she can't walk in a straight line and runs like a drunken soldier 
).
She is affectionate and compassionate. She always notices when someone is sad, when they've hurt themselves, when they are cross, when they are tired. She sometimes doesn't know appropriate responses, so I have to steel myself for times when she says 'go on, then. Cry.' But she means no harm, she just sees it as a cool experiment.
She is engaging to the point of domination. And no-one can escape her appeal. Even my brother, who she has seen only around 4 times in her life, because he has chosen to distance himself from the family. He visited earlier this year, tried to make his disinterest in her clear, but it was plain that she had made her mark. The school receptionist has already taken a shine to her, and she has only attended for a total of 7.5 hours over 3 sessions. She does get very confused about facial expressions though, and she will often say 'but the childrens don't love me', because unless they are constantly smiling, she can think something is wrong.
DD1 adores water, gluing, painting, play dough and cookery. She is obsessed with water. She could spend all day in the toilet, washing her hands. She just loves it.
DD1 is very, very, funny. And she knows it . She will watch us laugh and then pretend to be bemused and say "what you laughing for?". She knows it is because she did something funny.
DD1 is so polite. She says please and thank you, she says 'excuse me' and sorry. She even thanked the nurse through her tears when she gave her the MMR booster.
For DD1, the world is a confusing place. Music can frighten her, and we can't have any TV programmes on in her presence unless it is CBeebies, Barney or Dora. That is starting to be tricky, because DD2 is growing up, and at 3.1, is starting to prefer CBBC. But we will work around it. DD1 just isn't there yet.
DD1 has very limited concentration skills (30 seconds -2 minutes for the majority of things), and her play skills are very immature. She can't cope with concentrated activities. If DD2 and DD3 (17mths) sit down to play with Vtech animals, for example, DD1 will try and knock them away. But we distract her, and the game for DD2 & 3 continues.
Life is hard for DD1 at times, and every day things can be a struggle because she gets so anxious and routine-obsessed. But our lives would be so much the poorer without her. She truly is magical.
Please don't try to imagine life with your baby who has Downs Syndrome and think that you can make your decision based on that. Appointments, therapies, struggles. You will be imagining the condition, not the person. When your baby is born, he or she will be their own little person. OK, they will have an extra copy of a chromosome, but they will be unique.
You are in an amazing situation right now. You can plan, you can prepare. How I would have loved that. If you are going to continue your pregnancy, you can get ahead. Why not sign up for a Makaton Course early? Start right from the beginning to give your baby the best chance of progressing well.