“This little girl is excited and doesn’t understand why so many people have stopped by. Why are people bringing us food? Not realizing that her world is about to change. Her mom had been holding a secret.”
‘Don’t let him move back in, he’s going to kill you.’ I’d been living through hell in a horrible marriage. Most said, ‘Wow we thought you were so happy.’ I didn’t want anyone to know.’
‘Santa walks over to a veteran sitting on the wall. As Santa approaches, the veteran stands, and Santa takes a knee.’: Woman witnesses touching moment between mall Santa and WWII veteran
“I hear Santa telling the gentleman, in a soft voice, of others he knew who served. He shakes his hand with genuine gratefulness, thanking him for his service, then returns to the children.”
‘Does it look too big?’ Our perfect, happy, healthy baby boy had a belly full of tumors. Cancerous tumors.’: Mom’s newborn diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, says ‘every little moment’ with loved ones is a ‘reason to celebrate’
“When our pediatrician comes back in, I see fear on her face. I feel the air leaving my lungs, my chest feels so heavy. She tells me his liver and spleen are enlarged, so enlarged the radiologist who read his X-ray asked, ‘How sick is this baby?!’ He’s not sick at all! He’s smiling and laughing, he’s perfect. I rush toward the elevator, a literal sobbing mess. How did I not know this? I thought I knew shock and devastation. I had no idea.”
‘When Santa was pouring milk into my son’s tube, he beamed with pride. ‘You see him give me my milkies mommy?!’: Santa shares tender moment with little boy, ‘his biggest wish came true’
“All we have been longing for, for two years, was for Austin to be able to eat again. It’s been rough on him – he couldn’t have liquid or food orally. He has recently started eating again, after two years completely tube fed, and he is able to try many foods now. This picture is the perfect celebration and way to remember that his biggest wish came true.”
‘You know what I don’t remember about my childhood Christmases? I don’t remember anything being especially decorated.’: Woman’s best Christmas memories aren’t ‘picture perfect’
“I don’t remember Pottery Barn centerpieces or monogrammed stockings. I don’t remember Pinterest-worthy trees or anything that would make one declare, ‘That is so precious. I must Instagram it immediately.’ That all might have been there. But if it was, I don’t remember.”
‘I like daddy better than you! He always plays with me!’ Soul crushing, right? All the things I do for you go unnoticed, but I’ll do them for you anyway.’
“I’m the one tidying up the toys while you are wrestled with. I make sure all your appointments are up to date, even when I forget my own. I’m the one up till 3 a.m. making the LEGO house you asked for. Hiding Christmas presents.”
‘This is dwarfism. I am 99% certain the result will be fatal for the baby.’: Doctor drops bomb on mom during routine ultrasound, ‘He watched me completely break down’
“There it was. A bomb. He dropped it and then watched me completely break down. ‘I am certain this is skeletal dysplasia (dwarfism) and 99% certain the result will be fatal for the baby.’ We spun with the overload of information that had been given to us about our baby’s diagnosis.”
‘Does the baby look okay? Anxiety twisted knots inside me. Nobody quite saw the almond eyes, sweet smushed nose. Then, I said what we’d been internalizing all along.’ Mom diagnoses her own baby after doctors fail to see signs
“No family history? Phew, he doesn’t have it. Ears set low? He must have it. ‘I can’t see his face!’ I hoped the sweet, blonde tech knew this was code for, ‘Does my baby have Down Syndrome?’ There was stumbling, stuttering. ‘How old are you?’ Wait WHAT? Sirens were spinning in my head. This is it, I thought. He has IT.”
‘The day before we were supposed to fly out, we got a call. ‘We haven’t been able to reach her for 24 hours. This isn’t a good sign.’ My heart sank. We were completely shocked.’
“With tears running down my cheeks, I turned to my husband and told him the news. We were devastated. There were no red flags no warning signs. The next morning, we were called to the hospital. She was in labor – our baby girl was coming.”
‘Molly, I am sick again. I promise I’m going to get better this time.’ I hang up, but she is all I can think about. How can I love her so much, and be such a constant source of disappointment?’
“I don’t want to catch a glimpse of her beautiful face in my mind. It hurts too much. She is so perfect. How can she still utter the words, ‘It’s okay mom, I love you’? I don’t deserve her love or her forgiveness.”