Theo, You Make Me Better

Theo makes me better because he has shown me that I am stronger than I ever believed.

We received the news around 11 weeks that our little one would be born with Down syndrome. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t completely overwhelmed by the diagnosis. I wasn’t sure if I could be a special needs Mama, even though I’d grown up playing and then working with children with special needs and have always been a strong advocate for inclusion.

The endless appointments were overwhelming and exhausting and at times the fear of the unknown was crippling. But every time we got a glimpse of our little guy on the ultrasounds, something in me would kick into gear, and my Mama Bear instincts would kick in. Seeing Theo so often helped me become a strong advocate for both him and me, allowing us to select a team of doctors and specialists who support us and always have our best interests in mind. Thanks to Theo, I learned how to stand up for what I believe in and not be afraid to walk away from a doctor or anyone who wasn’t right for us.

Theo made his grand entrance five weeks early and has been the love of our lives ever since. He makes us better each and every day. He has the ability to put a smile on anyone’s face and is truly the sunshine on a cloudy day.

From the day Theo was born, he has been poked and prodded more than anyone I know. He has gone to more appointments and met with more specialists than any baby ever should have to. But through all this, Theo has been a rockstar. His resilience has given me the strength to be his rock. He makes me a better Mom by forcing me to celebrate the small moments. I love being Theo’s biggest cheerleader and will never stop celebrating each and every milestone he accomplishes. Yes, we know there will be setbacks along the way, but Theo has already shown us we are stronger than we could have ever imagined, and no matter what, we will get through anything that comes our way!

I’m not sure how we got so lucky, but we are so happy Theo is ours. 

-Krista, Theo’s Mom (Connecticut)