Let's talk about heart defects.....

Laura was born with a heart defect called an Atrioventricular Canal Defect. Basically, all that means is that she was born with a huge hole in the middle of her heart. Babies born with Down syndrome have an induced risk of being born with a heart defect, and 50% of babies born with Down syndrome are born with a heart defect. Babies born with Down syndrome can be born with several different heart defects, but an AV Canal Defect, which is the defect Laura was born with, is the most common one. Because it's the most common, it's pretty simple to fix (Well, as simple as an open heart surgery can be I guess.....)  When Laura was 2 months old, she had open heart surgery to repair her heart. I was so scared for her, but she came through it like a champ. She is such a fighter, and I am so proud of her for pulling through everything she has been through. I like to call her my warrior princess :)

Here is Laura right after her open heart surgery back in January 2010:

Love,
Ashley