It’s funny when you realise how much you can learn from a life experience. Funny because it seems like such a cheesy cliche, but hey ho…

Audrey has taught me many things by coming into our lives. I guess number 1 would be that I am stronger than I thought I was and can handle more than expected.

If someone had said “You will have a baby with DS”, I would have said “No way, I couldn’t cope!” But the reality is, life throws something unexpected at you, but you just get on with it and cope.

I knew I had a pretty great husband, but Audrey came into our lives and I realised I have an amazing husband. I never really understood the phrase “He’s my rock” until Ted became my rock. From the moment the doctors said “emergency c-section” Ted was everything I needed. He was calm and strong and by my side the whole time. Whilst our minds were filled with confusion and worry over Audrey’s DS, he quite simply said “I just love her” and was there for her from the very beginning. He stayed strong when our world was turned upside down and I it suddenly dawned on me… This is what it’s like to have a “rock”!

She’s also made me realise that perfection isn’t what you think it is… I guess perfection is much like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder. She is perfection to us because your baby always will be, no matter what. Ted and I actually discussed before she was born; “Do you think we’ll know if our baby is ugly?” and although I’m pretty confident anyone would agree Audrey is a beauty… I don’t think anyone would ever think their baby was ugly, even if it looked like a potato to everyone else.

The beauty of your baby is unlike anything else in the world and I feel like I know that even more so because the Down’s Syndrome that was all I could see when I first looked at her face, is now something I can barely see. When I look at her now I wonder if other people can tell… when I look at her now I just see our beautiful Audrey.