Motley, You Make Me Better

My name is Skyler, and when I was 23 years old, I was expecting my third and final baby. After having two baby boys, I was absolutely thrilled when we found out our third baby was a sweet little girl. I was so excited that the only thing on my mind was confirming the gender on our NIPT testing. Nothing else even crossed my mind.

That changed when I received a phone call from a genetic counselor telling me that my daughter had a 73% chance of having Down syndrome.

I was devastated. For weeks I struggled with the news and what it meant for our family and for her future. Slowly, I started to process what our “new normal” might look like. During those early weeks, when everything still felt overwhelming, we received a basket from Jack’s Basket.

I remember opening it and just ugly crying for hours. The love and support I felt in that moment meant more than I can ever properly explain. That basket was only the beginning of what I would soon learn about the Down syndrome community, the incredible love, support, and encouragement that surrounds families like ours.

A few short months later, after many doctor’s appointments and a lot of anticipation, we welcomed our perfect 5-pound, 14-ounce baby girl, Motley Jo, into the world.

Motley has changed me in ways I never imagined. As a young mom, she has pushed me, challenged me, and helped me grow in ways I didn’t know were possible. She has opened my heart in ways I didn’t know it could open. She makes me love harder, be slower to anger, and see life through a completely different lens.

She has also made me more confident in my mothering than I ever thought I could be. Motley has taught me how to stand up, speak up, and advocate. She gave me the courage to use my voice in moments when she didn’t yet have one of her own. Because of her, I’ve learned the importance of being heard and making sure she is seen for exactly who she is.

Motley has also had an incredible impact on her older brothers. Through loving their little sister, they are learning compassion, patience, and kindness. They are growing into strong, thoughtful boys who see the beauty in differences and the importance of caring for others.

Motley Jo has completely changed our lives for the better. She has shown us that what once felt scary and uncertain has become one of the greatest blessings our family has ever known.

She is, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to us.

Skyler, Motley’s Mom (New Mexico)