Despite both mom and baby being in perfect health throughout the pregnancy, Amber says that she always knew something was different — and it had nothing to do with not knowing the gender. “I really thought it was a boy but I also knew that something else was different! I didn’t know why or what but I always told my husband this baby was going to be different,” she says. “My pregnancy wasn’t different but I knew something was. He kept saying it was because we didn’t know what the baby was.” More from CafeMom: This Mom Terminated 2 IVF Pregnancies & She Wants People to Understand Why But then her eager family asked about the gender and Amber’s pure joy took over. “I totally forgot we had no idea, we didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl. Then I looked down and to my surprise it was a girl!” she says. “My thoughts of her having Down syndrome went away because I was so excited we were having another girl!” As they were getting ready to leave the birthing center, Amber’s midwife finally came over with some news. She shared with the family that Amadeus, whom they nicknamed Ami, has “a few Down syndrome markers,” and Amber only had one reaction: “In that moment I was like I knew it! I KNEW IT! Finally I didn’t feel crazy! I knew I was right! I knew something was different when I was pregnant and then immediately became a worker bee,” she says. “I wanted to know everything they knew about babies with Down syndrome so I could best care for my daughter Amadeus. We didn’t care that she had Down syndrome because we were all obsessed with her and all of her chromosomes!” When they asked if their baby sister was going to be bullied, Amber was honest with her kids and explained that Ami is just like everyone else. “They were concerned others would make fun of Amadeus as she got older and the best way I could explain is the fact that all of us have been made fun of at one time or another and we don’t have Down syndrome. But it’s our job to help educate others and to lead by example for Ami so that she has the life as we all do, and we can’t prevent others from being mean,” she says. “They LOVE her, they love sharing her story with their friends.” More from CafeMom: New Dad Captures His Baby’s Rare ‘Bubble’ Birth & the Photos Are Mesmerizing “Kids with the diagnosis of Down syndrome just want to be looked at and treated just like everyone one else and they deserve that right. I will always do my part and share and educate those who are open to learn and go on this journey along with us as we all start to see things from a different perspective.”
