Keegan's Story

I'm so excited because one of my favorite friends, Hayley, has written a beautiful story about her son Keegan. Keegan is so precious, Logan and I both adore him. Logan and Keegan are good buddies and we certainly hope that our boys will be good friends forever. Certainly Hayley and I will be.
Thanks Hayley!!

I remember the first real photo I got of Keegan. He was still in my womb and I had just finished getting a level 2 ultrasound, where they found a hole in his heart and told me, that because of that, the probability of him having Down syndrome was a lot higher. There Keegan was, smiling and waving at us, while the doctor took us into a little room with a box of tissues and told us how we could abort him. He gave the same abortion speech when he called with the results. I remember being so confused, and calling the doctor back and asking, “but if he gets the heart surgery, will he live?” And the doctor’s response was “yes, but some people just can’t handle all the things that come with Down syndrome.”So what does come with Down syndrome? Let me tell you. Having Keegan makes me feel truly alive. My emotions are heightened and I feel like I truly appreciate everything. I have never felt happier or more fulfilled in all my life. He gives me a sense of purpose, but he also shows me that nothing else matters. It’s just so exciting to see him climb on the bus by himself, to watch him try to blow a bubble, or just seeing him eat a French fry delights me. How many times can I say I appreciated those little things with my other kids? It was just expected of them, it wasn’t a struggle to get there.I’ll admit to many tears and struggles in these first 3 years with him, but I would never, ever take it back. Keegan’s first year surrounded his health. He had 2 heart surgeries around 5 months old. It was during those 6 weeks at the hospital that I learned a lot about how fragile life is, how precious, so every day that you have with them, you appreciate it that much more.After all the health stuff was out of the way, it was working on getting Keegan to learn how to eat. I’ll admit to many tears and anger at trying to get him to just eat something other than yogurt. By far this has been our biggest ongoing struggle, but again, I would never take those moments back because even to this day, when he tries something new or picks up his own sandwich, I beam with pride. And that’s just over lunch! How many others can say their meal times are just as exciting? Now Keegan is 3, and going to preschool for the first time. I’m so excited to watch him grow. Each day when he tries to get on the bus without falling over from the weight of his backpack, my eyes fill with tears of joy. When he gets home, and I read the teacher’s note about what he’s done that day, I smile, and when I tuck him in to bed at night and he babbles along with Twinkle, Twinkle I can’t help but kiss him a million times. He may weigh just 25 pounds, but of the amount of wonder and happiness that he emits EVERY SINGLE DAY from his little body is truly infectious!So when you’re out at the mall, or at the park and someone gives you that “that’s too bad” look, just know, as I knew when that doctor told me I could abort Keegan, that our families, and the ones that truly know a child with Down syndrome are a little bit wiser, and quite possibly, a little bit more thankful for everything that life brings you.