October 10th- Kayleigh, Karen & Brian

“Sometimes the things We cannot Change end up Changing us instead”

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– Karen, mom to Kayleigh

“Your baby has Down syndrome. Those are words I never thought I would hear, but they are just words, not what Kayleigh is.

There was so much excitement around the birth of our third baby, Kayleigh. Olivia and Jason were going to be Big Sister and Big Brother respectively. Karen and I were going to have the family of 5 we planned for and it was great. I remember throughout the pregnancy thinking to myself, “why run any prenatal tests? We are good.” I didn’t think we needed the tests because any results we received would not affect our love for our new baby. I remember Kayleigh’s birth like it was yesterday. Karen asked me to check on Kayleigh after her arrival. There was some concern about her breathing as she didn’t come out crying like a typical birth. They took us to the recovery room while they examined her. As were waiting together, the doctor arrived to talk about what was going on. The moment the doctor shared that Kayleigh might have Down syndrome, time froze. I couldn’t move. I was shocked, mad, and questions ran through my head. Then I looked at Karen and realized, I needed to be strong. The first couple of months was a huge learning curve. Karen researched, went to events, and talked with other families for knowledge and comfort.

Now 3, Kayleigh is a smart, rambunctious, and amazing little girl. She lights up our lives and brings happiness anywhere she goes. Born on 9/11, there was a feeling of her being a fighter and a person that would overcome anything. Well, so far, she has fought through and the hole in her heart has closed. She is currently in preschool and doing amazing. Watching her grow has been so rewarding and wonderful. She always puts a smile on my face and pushes me to be great.“

– Brian, dad to Kayleigh

Kayleigh is active in literacy tutoring, Preschool Prep, Crawlers and Walkers, LMNOP, 2 & Under Playgroup, Family Fun Night, and Dance