This blog is long overdue. In fact it is almost 7 years late. I was asked by several people to write about life with Kareem,my nephew who has Down's syndrome . So here is the blog which I hope can be of benefit to others who may have similar experience: of joy and difficulties. But really I am writing in order to thank Kareem for the joy and blessings that he has been bringing to my life and that of all our extended family.

Kareem will soon by 7 years old but I have been meaning to write a blog that record our lives together since he was born. Lots of things came in the way but now I decided not to wait for "when I have the time" to collect all the memories, stories, pictures and to use his mum's diary. I decided to write without chronological order. I wrote few blogs about him elsewhere which I will add here but I did not write regularly.

So here we go!

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 Few days old

Kareem age 7 in his bed insisting he can brush his teeth! The blue thing is a barrier in case he falls out of bed

Kareem is my nephew. He lives with his mum (my sister), dad and brother, Shadi and me. My sister is almost like a daughter to me. When she was born, I was doing my A level. She was a bad sleeper and I used to study late at night so I used to take her from our mother, put her on my legs and rock her gently while I am studying. Funny enough, years later I did the same for both her lovely kids.

When Kareem was born, I was out of the country busy in a big meeting but my heart was at the hospital and my eyes were fixed awaiting text from my daughter who accompanied my sister to the hospital. I believe my daughter was the first one to hold the baby Kareem, which created a special bond between them.

Since then, he has been an essential person to our lives.