Meet Sweetie Kaitlyn!

Images Captured by Michelle Loewen Photography

Meet Tiny Light Kaitlyn. She is a sweet, happy, and very social girl. She loves waving, and finds it quite funny when people wave back to her. She is fully of personality, and has recently found her inner rhythm. She loves music and dancing.  


While there had been soft markers for Down Syndrome found during the pregnancy’s routine ultrasound, Kaitlyn’s parents had declined amniocentesis. “We were already in love with the baby growing inside me, and we decided that knowing wouldn’t change anything.”  


Kaitlyn’s Mom knew as soon as she saw her that Kaitlyn had Down Syndrome.  She asked her doctor for confirmation, and after checking for the obvious, the doctor felt confident that this was the case.  A few days later, the test results came back confirming their suspicions. When Kaitlyn was two weeks old, they went for a routine Echocardiograph test. They learned that Kaitlyn did have a VSD, and she would requite open-heart surgery in months to come. At five months old, Kaitlyn underwent this surgery; it was the hardest part of the journey for this family. Fortunately, she recovered well, and this is now an experience in the past.  


Kaitlyn is now healthy and strong.  Her parents wish for her is that she will be just as she wants to be. “We hope that Kaitlyn leads an independent life that is filled with lots of love and friendship.” Kaitlyn’s parents also wish for her to live to her potential.  They worry that she will struggle and be teased in school, but try not to give these fears a lot of thought. “Instead, we are just enjoying our baby girl, and taking one stage at a time.”
 
Story by Angela Stephen-Dewhurst