Ryan was such a cool little dude! We got to play with ALL the toys and even put a good whoopin’ on the drums!! After we played around at @frontporchmarketbyp we walked down to a local park there in New York and had the best of time!! As soon as we got there Ryan tore through the gates and off he was, having a blast!! We played until buddy was tuckered out! We asked his Mama about Ryan and she wrote:

"I expected struggles on our journey with Ryan and with navigating the world of Down Syndrome, especially because his diagnosis was a surprise. What I did not expect was how much love and happiness he would bring to our family. Ryan’s smile will make you melt, his belly laugh is jiggly and infectious, and he hugs like an actual koala bear. Ryan is spicy and sweet- one of his therapists refers to him as a “sweet-tart”- yet he somehow manages to charm nearly everyone he meets.

He and his twin brother are very typical boys who love trucks, dad’s tools, the park, and their big sister Maeve, who is so amazing with them; but she really shines with Ryan. In her eyes, Ryan can do no wrong. I was so scared that Ryan’s siblings would resent him or treat him differently, but it seems like the opposite is happening as they grow and thrive together.

Sometimes I stare at Ryan in disbelief, in total awe of his perfection, and I can barely recall those early days when I grappled with his diagnosis and wondered how we would ever survive. I wish I could go back in time and give that woman a glimpse of what life looks like now. The minute I opened myself up to the Down Syndrome community, so many amazing things happened, and one of those is finding Down for Smiles. The more days I am given to love this special boy, the more I believe that everything happens the way it is meant to, and that Ryan is ours for a reason. I wouldn’t dream of changing a single thing."