Kecia and Kris: 3 Children with Down Syndrome

Kecia and Kris were excited for the birth of their third daughter Brie.  When she was born, they discovered that she had Down syndrome.  The news was difficult for Kecia and Kris to process.  10 years later, they have realized how amazing Down syndrome is.  They have adopted two children with Down syndrome from the Ukraine.   Choosing Down Syndrome   Down syndrome diagnosis brings emotional response Kecia recalled when Brie was born.  She said, “I had her via C-section, and I didn’t think anything of it when they showed her to me.  I didn’t really recognize any differences.” There became a weird vibe in the OR. The doctors and nurses started whispering in the corner and acting strange.   After Kecia was brought into the recovery room, a doctor said, “I think your daughter has Down syndrome.”  Kris said that he knew right away that when he saw Mia that something was different about her. They both became very emotional and fearful for the unknowns. Everything is going to be okay About 20-hours after Brie was born, Kecia was finally able to see her.  She said, “..I couldn’t see her for a little while, and that whole time I was just scared..I just remember she was in this little incubator and she just wrapped her little finger around mine, and I knew it didn’t matter what she had going on..we were going to be okay.”   She instantly felt like there was something incredibly special about Brie.  It didn’t matter what challenges laid ahead, they were all going to be okay. Down syndrome is just like any other baby For Kris, finding out his daughter had Down syndrome was a little overwhelming.  He wasn’t too familiar about what Down syndrome was and what it meant for her future.  “All I knew is that this was something different and was going to be hard. I remember feeling very scared as a dad, especially worrying about how I was going to protect this little girl.” Kris said. He learned quickly that she wasn’t too different from his older two daughters.  “She was a little baby. She cried like a baby. She smiled like a baby. She cuddles like any of our other babies.  You quickly realize that life goes on, and that life is more normal than we ever thought it would be”   Communication can be challenging Both Kecia and Kris agreed that the most challenging thing so far in raising Brie has been communication.  Kecia said that at times it can be frustrating when Brie can’t fully express how she is feeling when she’s had a bad day at school or if she is in pain.   Kris added, “One challenge is not always being able to understand what they need or what they’re wanting or what’s bothering them..some of those times, not knowing what they need is the hardest thing I think.” The joys of having a child with Down syndrome “Brie has always been someone special in our family; she’s kind of the peacemaker of our home.  She’s always had such a sweet and tender spirit..she’s always been the person that calms the mood of the house down.”  Kris said. Kecia shared a good example of how Brie loves unconditionally.  She said, “When she was little, I had her at the park, and she kept walking up to this group of big, scary-looking guys who were working on the plumbing system, and I was trying to keep her away from them, and she kept insisting on going over there.  She finally got away from me and walked up to this one particular guy and just gave him a hug. He was digging in a hole of dirt and kind of just looked at her, and he got a little bit tenderhearted looking at her..she’s just always had that ability to know that somebody needs that for whatever reason.” Adopting a child with Down syndrome Brie was a few years old when Kris and Kecia wanted to have more children.  After experiencing three miscarriages, Kecia thought, “What are we supposed to be doing?  Where is our family supposed to be going?