Riley + Willow are Born Abel!

A nonprofit fundraiser supporting

We believe all children are born mighty, chosen, worthy, & ABEL despite any diagnoses limitations.

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$500 goal

Riley is the bonus baby we didn’t know we needed. After trying for years to complete our family, our first IUI resulted in a miscarriage. The second ultrasound of our 2nd IUI however revealed a surprise—Riley, our twins’ unexpected addition! Early in the pregnancy, we received a Down syndrome diagnosis via NIPT and were advised several times to “selectively reduce the pregnancy” to protect his twin, Willow, and they gave Riley only a 30% survival rate. However, we never doubted that both babies were meant to be- and Willow was never in any danger either.

Riley & Willow, now 17 months old, have come a long way. Though we expected a NICU stay due to their premature birth, we couldn’t predict the journey ahead. Riley broke his water at 27.5 weeks, leading to 7 weeks in the antepartum unit. We adored our antepartum nurses, who kept us safe and sane during our time there.

Of course once a date for their CS delivery was official, the twins decided to move it up and arrived on Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 2023, which inspired their middle names- Riley Ruach and Willow Pneuma, Hebrew and Greek for “breath and spirit of God.”  They definitely give extra life to our family!!

Willow spent 26 days in the nicu. Once she could keep her own temperature, gained weight, and could take bottles she was released. I’ll never forget when that day came. Willow’s charge nurse had her and after projectile pooping during a diaper change, Willow ripped out her NG tube for the 3rd time. The charge nurse looked her square in the eye and said, “Alright little lady, let’s see what else you got.” Willow took her first bottle and didn’t look back!

Although she & Riley were born in the same hospital, they only spent one glorious week together in the same Nicu and same pod. We have just a few photos of them being held together for the first time from that week. Riley was then moved next door to the children’s hospital.

While Riley was there I began searching last spring and summer for support circles I could join to help me navigate Riley’s needs. It was in one of those groups that a member posted about the author of the Born Abel books asking for parents who wanted their kids with special needs illustrated in her new children’s books. I responded and Riley was mentioned in the 3rd book, The Mystery of the Patchwork Heart. Both Willow & Riley were featured in the 4th Born Abel book, Nicu Neighbors. Their older sister, who was from our 1st IUI which ended in early spontaneous miscarriage due to trisomy 3, is mentioned and featured as one of the dragonflies or fireflies in the book How Angels are Made.

Willow+Riley peeking out from the left!

Riley spent 5.5 months in the hospital due to complications with his Down syndrome: inadequate weight gain due to severe reflux and silent aspiration; open heart surgery at 3 months for VSD repair; difficulties being extubated; Gtube placed; and pulmonary hypertension.

The joy of seeing my own kids as part of these unique books has been a wonderful bridge to help sharing their story with friends and family- really with anyone willing to listen! Early on I felt a deeper connection with the Born Abel books because Abel & Oren are twins around the same age as Riley & Willow.

For my family and I, we know the children illustrated in all of these beautiful books are not just characters but other very real, sweet children and angels whose parents also desperately wanted, chose, fought for, adore and value, not for what they are able to do, but because of who they already are: ours.

Willow+Riley on the right!

It’s crazy amazing to consider what life was like for Riley just a year ago, how overwhelmed we were, the sharp learning curve of becoming medical parents, how hard he’s worked, how motivated he continues to be; we love watching his little personality bloom and the bond between his twin sister and older brothers strengthen. And in that same year, I have also seen Born Abel explode into what it is today- from 3 or 4 books to now over 50, thousands of families lives touched and voices heard, angel babies honored, and an ever-growing online network of support for parents and caregivers just like me.

Riley is in the blanket, Willow is sitting on the chair next to Jaxson!Willow & Riley have been in several more Born Abel books and may be in a few more yet to come; while their changing looks and features are captured with each new edition, we are proud to be part of this incredible community helping to not only make the world aware of these children’s existence, but to accept and celebrate along with us ALL children are born abel, born brave, born mighty and chosen, capable of amazing things, worthy of life and love!!