My little hugger

Hope has always been good for a lovely warm cuddle and when she was born I loved they way she would just melt into your arms.  I know it's something to do with low muscle tone but let's face it, holding a baby that just moulds to your body is sooo lovely!
However, she has always been a bit cautious and only had a few people that she would allow to love her with hugs and kisses, lately she seems to be expanding her horizons and has discovered that the majority of the time she gets a great affirmative and positive reaction to her sticking arms in the arms, looking a person in the eye and saying "Up!".  I have been reading other blogs about children with Down syndrome who hug a lot because there don't seem to be any scientific reasons for this hugging phenomenon and it seems that this love for hugging other is quite common among people with Down syndrome.
I feel terrible that I am looking at my daughter's hugging with such cynicism because when she does it I feel it must be a reflection on her needing more love or attention and maybe that means I'm not giving her enough!  What if this hugging is just a rather successful and satisfying way to feed a hunger for love and attention for herself.  Aren't I awful!   Here I am watching my daughter giving hugs to strangers and getting them in return and thinking it's bad for her emotional development and well being, her health (because who knows what colds and germs strangers have) and she is not discriminating between who could be a good or bad person and that is a bit scary as a parent to an extra vulnerable child!
It's probably more a reflection on me and my heart than anything else.

I would like to get to the bottom of understanding why she is suddenly into hugging people but I think I should also enjoy Hope sharing herself and her love.  I'm really short-changing my daughter if I think that she is not fully capable of giving love to others and identifying who needs it, instead I should be encouraging her loving others, teach her to discriminate as she grows (if in can, so as to keep her safe) and I need to remember that sometimes it doesn't matter how the gospel is preached as long as it is preached! In other words if Hope's hugs are healing and wonderful for others, who cares if she gets some benefit back...why do we ( well I) think that hugs should be one sided!
My mom had to get a book on feelings when I was little because she said I wasn't able to identify mine well and I didn't like hugs etc. I suppose now I have the perfect chance to improve my emotional IQ just by observing Hope in action ( you should have seen her doing the hug rounds at Arthur's bday party) and giving her hugs every morning!