Happy New Year from Shutterstock.

Was in the shower t’other day, thinking about how completely uneventful 2015 was for me, and how I’d like to do things differently for the New Year. And then I found myself feeling guilty for not celebrating the year my girl had, because, Down Syndrome be damned, the kid knocked it out of the fricking park in twenty-fifteen.

A recap of sorts. Aisha (in no particular order):

Turned one. Started feeding herself. Drank from a straw. Held her bottle on her own. Learned to push herself from prone into a seated position. Started daycare. Learned to say “hi,” “bye,” and “Aisha.” Can act out the entire words to “The Wheels on the Bus.” Made new friends. Went on adventures. Conquered her fear of riding the elevator. Has a dozen little (razor-sharp) teeth. Can open a tin of puffs with said teeth (have no idea where she picked this up). Figured out how to open and close drawers properly, without getting her fingers caught. Can sing (using the term loosely, here) the “Bubble Guppies” theme song. Learned how to “scroll” on the tablet and my phone. Helps me get her dressed in the morning. And my very favourite, which she saved until the very end of the year:

My little girl taught herself how to walk.

For those of you who didn’t see this on Instagram, here’s the link. She’s moving much faster, now. Hooray?

Batten down the hatches!