My Lovely Lily - By Destiny Zareck

Lily was born in 2007 after a very uneventful pregnancy. She was a term baby weighing 6 pounds 7 ounces and was 18 inches long. The delivery went great. They actually had to tell me to stop pushing because they were not ready to catch her yet and she wanted out.

About 10 minutes after she was born I heard the words I will never forget: "Your baby is showing characteristics of Down Syndrome." Honestly, I wanted to die and I was uninterested in having a baby who may be "mentally retarded." I am now so ashamed for feeling that way because Lily is so amazing.

Lily spent seven days in the NICU after she was born. Three months after she was born she had open-heart surgery to repair a VSD and an ASD. She came out of that like a champ and we were home in four days. She is now a healthy 4-1/2 months old and back to her old self!

In the four short months she has been on this earth, she has taught me more about acceptance, unconditional love, and has made me a stronger person. When she smiles at me (which she does with her whole body, by the way) it lights up my life. She is beautiful and stronger than I could ever imagine her being after what she has been through.

I know our life together will be a road less traveled filled with some challenges, but I also know she will bring me and our family so much joy and happiness (she already does) and I am so excited to watch her grow, go to school, play, dance, talk, and laugh. She truly inspires me to be the best mother I can be to her because she deserves no less.