‘The nurse handed my daughter back. I instantly noticed her teeny tiny ears. ‘Do you think she has IT?’ I looked at my husband in fear.’: Mom of 3 births baby with down syndrome, ‘She is the most amazing human I’ve ever met’

The world of different abilities is not new to me. My older brother has had a traumatic brain injury since I was seven-years-old. I did not see John as having a disability because to me, he was just John. When you get to know someone well enough, they become their name, not their diagnosis. This is one of my many goals for Scarlett. We are proud of her and instead of being ‘the kid with Down syndrome,’ I want her to be ‘Scarlett who happens to have Down syndrome.’ I want people to take the time to know her well enough that she becomes her name, not her diagnosis. I want people to see her and her abilities.

Scarlett is now three-years-old. She loves to play with her friends and siblings. She loves gymnastics. She enjoys going to preschool. Scarlett uses over one hundred signs and she knows even more. Scarlett can talk. She is practicing making her speech clearer in therapy. She loves playing on the beach and swimming. Scarlett is known on Instagram for applying her own lipstick every Tuesday, now known as ‘Lipstick Tuesday.’ Scarlett is smart. She knows her colors. She can count to ten. Scarlett makes me proud every day. She is a compassionate and loving human. We are truly blessed to have her in our family.