The Gabriella Series 2/6: Jennifer, Mom
(THE GABRIELLA SERIES 2/6: Jennifer, Mom)
“Who does she look like?…I can’t tell who she looks like.”
Gabriella came into this world with ease and grace. I enjoyed every moment of being pregnant with her and her delivery was smooth. I knew I was having a girl and I knew she was going to change my life…I just had no idea how much.
After she was born, the nurse cleaned her up, completed their assessments, and handed her back to me. It was the first time I had really had a chance to look at her and I knew immediately…my beautiful baby girl has Down syndrome. I smiled at that moment because now it made sense to me why my mother kept asking who she looked like. I remembered thinking in the daze of delivery, “what a strange thing to ask…how can anyone tell who a baby looks like the minute they enter the world all red and smushed…why does my mother keep asking who she looks like?”
When the doctor came back in the room. He looked anxious. He asked to hold the baby and as I handed her to him I said, “Her name is Gabriella and she has Down syndrome.” A wave of relief washed over his face and he replied, “Wow…you made that incredibly easy for me.” I would later experience all the fears, worries and grief of a mother of a child with Down syndrome, but in that moment I knew that I had been training to be the mother of this precious baby my whole adult life. I now know that this is not everyone’s experience…I was very lucky.
Almost 16 years later, I can’t imagine my life without Gabriella. Being her mother has allowed me to experience tremendous fear, worry, frustration, anger, gratitude, joy, pride, laughter, and love like I have never known. She has taught me patience, courage, and unconditional love. She is everything I want to be when I grow up. We are a perfect match, and I could not have asked for a better daughter.
“Who does she look like?” Gabriella looks like a confident, funny, brave, kind, sweet, beautiful young lady who when asked will tell you that having Down syndrome means she is AWESOME!!
#TheLuckyFew #TheLuckyFewFoundation #DownSyndrome #ThisIsDownSyndrome
