Lean into the unexpected. You’d be surprised where it takes you.
Adeline Blake Manna Quarello came into the world on July 21, 2020, right in the middle of a global pandemic, in a cold, bustling OR. My c-section had been planned three weeks early due to severe pain and stenosis in my upper cervical spine. Despite the aches that had defined the last months of my pregnancy, I was filled with excitement—I couldn’t wait to meet our baby girl and finally be done with the pregnancy. I practically skipped into the operating room, my heart racing with anticipation. Even amid the anxiety of my first major surgery and the chaos of pandemic protocols, the room radiated a kind of serene, beautiful energy.
Pregnancy had been long and demanding, but I had survived it with the unwavering support of my husband, my family, and an incredible team of doctors. I had spent countless nights imagining our baby girl—anticipating her size, her appearance, her personality. Our firstborn, Charlee, had been nearly nine pounds, so I was expecting another big, healthy baby, probably with dark hair. I wondered quietly whether she would be spirited and sweet like her sister, or calm and gentle. The daydreams didn’t matter—just imagining them made the wait feel magical.
Less than five minutes into the c-section, my OB asked if we were ready to meet our daughter. And then she appeared. Adeline’s tiny body was lifted over the curtain, her long arms and legs stretching out as she cried her first clear, piercing cry. The room erupted in joyful shouts of “Congratulations!” My husband and I breathed a deep sigh of relief, tears of happiness streaming down our faces. In that instant, I was at peace, convinced everything was exactly as it should be. What I didn’t know in that blissful moment was that my world, as I knew it, was about to shift completely, shaking me to my core. From that moment on, my life’s perspective would be challenged, and the only path forward was to lean in.
Shortly after her birth, reality struck. My husband Matt and I were blindsided when doctors told us that Adeline showed several markers of Down syndrome. I felt every emotion imaginable: shock, denial, grief, anger, sadness, even trauma. It was overwhelming—mourning the baby I had pictured while simultaneously caring for a newborn with special needs. I would look at her sweet, delicate face and feel an immense, unconditional love, yet beneath it all, fear gripped me. Those first few months blurred together in a haze. The life we had imagined paused abruptly. Instead of simply holding and bonding with our baby during the day, Matt and I found ourselves navigating endless phone calls with doctors, setting up appointments with cardiologists, geneticists, and early intervention specialists. I was handed stacks of information about Down syndrome—a language and reality completely foreign to me.
And yet… I leaned in.
I refused to let these early days be defined by survival alone. I had fallen deeply in love with Adeline from the moment I saw her, but my mind and heart were still catching up. I decided to take control of our story. On October 1, 2020—Down Syndrome Awareness Day—I publicly shared Adeline’s diagnosis. The outpouring of love, encouragement, and support was overwhelming. I realized then how blessed we were to have a community of family, friends, and fellow parents ready to lift us up. That courage led me to join a support group of over 45 women, all mothers of children with Down syndrome born in 2021.
The support I found there was transformative. Every feeling I shared—pride, doubt, fear, or joy—was met with understanding. Every time I expressed uncertainty, another mother felt it too, and together we carried each other’s burdens. Through this group, I met Taryn Lagronigro, and our friendship sparked a shared mission: to make the world a better place for our children. My daydreams shifted from wondering who Adeline would be to imagining how I could create a world that embraced her resilience. Each day, I gained confidence, growing stronger as Adeline’s mom.
The power of community became my lifeline. Together, Taryn and I founded ExtraLuckyMoms.com, a place of refuge, connection, and hope. A space where families could share their experiences, lift each other up, and change the narrative surrounding life with a child with special needs. Our mission was to encourage everyone to lean in, to let go of expectations, and to be surprised by the remarkable strength of their children.
Adeline recently turned one, and if I could have glimpsed the incredible person she would become, I would have felt hope far sooner than fear. She is radiant, the sun in any room, inspiring me daily with her determination. Every milestone she reaches, every challenge she conquers, reshapes me and reminds me of the power of love and resilience.
At Extra Lucky Moms, we celebrate the big, the small, and everything in between. I didn’t understand this fully before Adeline arrived, but learning to lean into our reality has taught me that happiness is a choice. Perspective is everything. I choose to honor our journey, celebrate our wins, and advocate for my daughter by creating a community that blesses others with the love and support we received.
Who knew that a single birth diagnosis could transform an entire year—and a life—so profoundly? Lean in. You never know where it might take you. I thank Adeline for guiding me and can’t wait to see the next chapter of our journey unfold.
