Little kids are cute. They’re learning how the world works and discovering new things. We were all little kids at one point in our lives. Though technology has changed over the decades, parents still find ways to share cute moments their kids have. Additionally, parents have a tendency to share tons of cute pictures of their children as they grow up into adults.

Julie and Dan McConnel are no exception to this. In August 2015, the couple welcomed a pair of twin boys, whom they named Milo and Charlie. Milo and Charlie are your typical toddlers. They run around, laugh at silly animals, and love dressing up for Halloween.

One of the reasons people are so enthralled with the adorable twins is because they have Down syndrome. Down syndrome is a genetic condition that results in cognitive and functional delays throughout a person’s life. Parents tend to have a difficult time raising children with Down syndrome due to the additional health complications that can accompany their children. Poor eyesight and heart disease are two of the leading complications. Society can be very cruel at times. Some people have taken it upon themselves to make those with Down syndrome feel inferior to people without the genetic condition.

Thankfully, people like Julie and Dan make sure that the world knows the truth about people with Down syndrome. Milo and Charlie are incredibly happy kids that love enjoying life.

There may be problems along the journey, but the benefits are always worth it. The parents decided they would use social media as their platform in order to broadcast the amazing reality of Down syndrome.

Julie and Dan stated that they hope that other parents who have received news of their children having Down syndrome will be inspired by their story instead of frightened.

Julie and Dan have no regrets when it comes to their children and wouldn’t change a thing. They said the goal of their social media accounts is to build a community that teaches fellow families what Down syndrome is like and why it should be embraced instead of shunned.

Julie and Dan also wanted to provide others with the same resources they received at the beginning of their journey with Milo and Charlie.

“My hope is to attract families that are receiving a diagnosis of Down syndrome for their child because that can be really scary. I hope that people will find us, and see that this is what life can be like,” Julie told WTSP 10 News.

Julie and Dan always throw a party for their boys when they reach important milestones. They may have accomplished these milestones at a later time than other kids their age, but nonetheless, it’s a celebration in the McConnel household.

Milo and Charlie’s situation is extremely rare. The odds of fraternal twins both having Down syndrome is approximately a one in 14 million chance.

In March 2023, Julie and Dan posted a sweet clip of their two boys laughing with and embracing each other, captioned:

“There was a time when I couldn’t imagine how I would ever want to celebrate Down syndrome. Fear of the unknown tried to robbed me of joy. I am so grateful that God gave these two little monkeys to me and opened my heart to a world of greater acceptance and love.”

The twins have since graduated from kindergarten and started first grade in 2022. On the family Instagram page, the proud parents shared photos from the boys’ first picture day at school.

We can’t wait to see what milestones Milo and Charlie hit next!

What do you think about Julie and Dan’s mission to shed a light on the wonders of children with Down syndrome? If you like what they’re doing, be sure to pass this on to family and friends you know would love to see what Milo and Charlie are getting up to!