Hey hey hey, it's Down Syndrome Awareness Day!

Hey everyone!

Here at Little Bipsy, we are so grateful for our extra-chromosome little stylers and their families. They open our eyes to joy and authenticity in raw, but beautiful ways. And we are SO eager to use our platform to raise awareness and support them!

Here are a few stories from some of our LB-loving mommas on having a child with Down syndrome. As you read their words, we hope you're as inspired and amazed (and are crying as much!) as we are.

Yours truly,

The LB team ❤️

 

Melanie & Hudson | @OurHuddyBuddy

Perseverance. That's the word that came to mind when we read Melanie's story. Not only did their family's world change after receiving Hudson's diagnosis, they also persevered through:

  • a difficult pregnancy
  • Hudson's congenital heart defect diagnosis--which would require open heart surgery
  • lonesome doctor's appointments due to the pandemic
  • and Hudson's premature arrival, who was then immediately taken to the NICU.

Melanie said it was almost five hours after giving birth before she held her son for the first time. 

Describing the moment Hudson was placed in her arms, Melanie said,

"I will always remember that moment...I felt like I could suddenly breathe again and it finally hit me that there was so much more to this story than a diagnosis. My baby was beautiful and he was mine and everything else didn't matter anymore."

Two years later, Melanie stated her and her family could not imagine their lives without Hudson. She wrote to us of the joy he brings their family, and that his smile and laugh never fail to light up a room.

You may be wondering, how have Hudson's siblings benefitted from having a brother with Down syndrome?

Melanie wrote,

"Our other children have learned that Hudson’s diagnosis doesn’t define him. They play with him just as they would any other two-year-old. They wrestle, play ball, read books and snuggle. And because of him, they have more empathy and understanding for the differences they see in this world."

For Melanie and her family, Hudson has opened doors to more joy and compassion than they ever knew possible.

Melanie told us,

"Hudson has taught me so much about individuals with Down syndrome. They are capable. They are worthy. They want to be accepted, valued and included, just like we all do.
This journey with Hudson has been a blessing. Life seems sweeter and more precious with him in it.
There is beauty in differences and that is what I hope to teach others every single day. Because when we truly value and celebrate those differences, we are making this world a more accepting one for everybody."

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing your story! And thank you so much for reaching out to us with this idea!

 

Missy & Poppy | @missymiller_

Precious Poppy. We loved reading her sweet momma's words about receiving Poppy's diagnosis!

"Poppy made her debut into the world in April of 2021, and surprised us all with a birth diagnosis of Down Syndrome. While her diagnosis certainly took us by surprise, we instantly turned toward the DS community and found one that is full of joy. Over the past 2 years, I’ve made it my mission to contribute to this community of Down Syndrome by showcasing the joy and happiness that may come with a diagnosis aspiring to give others hope while they may be navigating the same thing. We hope that Poppy brings others just as much happiness as she has given us."

We appreciate you, Missy!

 

Kirstin & Aria | @kirstinczernek

Kirstin told us her family's story is one she'll never get tired of sharing. Her and her husband, Tomas, met in college. Kirstin said they fell in love really quickly, and were married the following year!
They waited about ten years to add children to their family, and began that initially through adoption--two biological siblings!
When their youngest was about to turn one, Kirstin said that Tomas wanted another baby. She said that as soon as they began to try for a third baby [Aria], she was pregnant right away!
Kirstin said,
"We were so excited to continue to grow our family and knew Mia and Kai would be the best big brother and sister."
Kirstin told us that after her standard twenty-week appointment, she received a call where she learned there was a high potential of their baby having Down syndrome. After more testing, that potential of DS became a confirmed reality for Kirstin and her family.
Kirstin told us she began to educate herself, and in March 2019, Aria was born!
Kirstin told us,
"The second I saw her, I completely fell in love! I quickly realized how blessed I was to be gifted a child with Down syndrome and she has been such a joy to our whole family!"
And read what Kirstin said is up next for their wonderful family!
"About a year ago we started thinking about growing our family again and really felt like adopting a child with Down syndrome would be such a blessing to our family. We contacted the NDSAN and went through all the steps to become a waiting family on their registry. NDSAN is an adoption network specific to adopting a child with Down syndrome. We have been waiting for about a year and completely trust God on the timing of this new addition!"
Thank you, Kirstin, for sharing your heart with us! We are SO excited for the potential new addition to your family! ❤️

 

Tailynn & Aspen | @Tailynnvictoria

Aspen looks so adorable in that green! His momma, Tailynn has one other son as well!

On speaking out about DS, Tailynn told us,

"Advocating for Aspen & those with Down syndrome is something I never thought I’d be comfortable doing. It’s definitely taken a bit for me to step outside my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I have. I’ve made wonderful relationships, and I hope I can help change the narrative for those with Down syndrome. Shifting how others view our children and spreading awareness one post at a time."

Tailynn was really vulnerable with us about when she first learned of Aspen's diagnosis. She said,

"I was terrified. Mostly because I didn't know any better. I was given a very negative list of things Aspen "most likely" would never be able to do and told about what a "burden" he would be."

She opened up to us about the tears she shed for her baby. 

"Honestly, I cried so many tears because I was so sad for my baby. I thought he would miss out on so much, resent Dayton, and that our lives would forever change. It makes me cringe now- even thinking about that time- because, yes, our lives did change forever. But, in the best way. I believe raising awareness will help other expectant parents see that their life is far from over. It's just a new chapter. Sure, it may be different than you were expecting, but it will still be beautiful. You see the world in a much different light than you did before. I didn’t know much about Down syndrome before having Aspen. 

Once I got his diagnosis, I Googled Down syndrome & let me tell you those infographics look nothing like the beauty I see everyday in Aspen. I started to notice how kids with Down syndrome weren’t really shown in the media either. That bothered me. So much so, that I did whatever I could to change that. I wanted lucky few to-be parents (& everyone else!) to see what we see. I wanted them to see the almond shaped eyes, brushfield spots, bright smiles & button noses that are so beautiful. 

Showing a range of different abilities in the media shows everybody has a place in this world. Inclusion of different abilities in advertising is important to me because I want Aspen to always feel a sense of empowerment and belonging. Whether we like to admit it or not, media has the power to shape how we see others and how we see ourselves. I want him to grow up seeing he too is represented—not hidden away. I want all children to be seen, feel seen, and know they are worthy.  Did you know that 1 in 20 kids have a disability? That gives 19 kids a daily opportunity to learn about and embrace diversity and inclusion.

I hope that with the help of wonderful, inclusive brands like Little Bipsy, that differences are celebrated instead of feared. Because I wouldn't change a thing. Not one single chromosome. Our journey may have started a little rough. It wasn't expected (most things in life hardly are am I right?) but I wouldn't change it for the world. Aspen is exactly what we didn't know we needed."

 

Thank you, sweet mommas for sharing your compassion and experiences with us!

LB loves you so much! 💕

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