The anticipation of finally meeting their bundle of joy and holding it in their arms grows bigger and bigger with each passing day for moms and dads-to-be as the delivery date approaches.
Andrew and Lacey Jackson, parents of two boys, Elliott, 7, and Devin, 4, couldn’t wait to welcome their baby girl in their lives.
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When baby Natalie finally arrived, they were over the moon. However, the moment they noticed the doctor’s facial expression, they knew something could be wrong. When they saw their baby daughter, they were “struck with panic.”
“Hearing her first cry was incredibly beautiful,” mom Lacey said of the birth. “After my C-section, the nurse raised our child up, and I noticed the large black bruise on the left side of her face.
“She was stunning, but she appeared to have a bruise, and I was concerned that it was due to something I had done to her during my pregnancy.
“Medics stated it was only a birthmark, and she was breathing and healthy,” she said.
Natalie was a true beauty, but both Lacey and Andrew got concerned that others won’t be able to notice that because of the mark that was on a great part of her face.
“As I hugged our precious baby girl, feeling enamored with her, I worried that people would only perceive her for her birthmark, rather than the beautiful person I knew she would grow up to be,” Lacey explained.
“At that point, I made the decision that we would love her unconditionally and give her every ounce of confidence in the world, so she could see how lovely she is – and how she can do everything she desires.”
When the brothers met their baby sister, they were both curious to learn what more about the thing that is covering her face. Andrew then took his time to explain that Natalie is somewhat special and the black patch on her face is her superhero costume. As a result, she would be able to do anything and achieve great things later in life.
Yes, there certainly are stares out there by complete strangers, but there are also those who say that Natalie is gorgeous and very much unique.
“We’ll always tell her it’s a part of who she is and who she’s destined to be,” her parents say. “People will always remember how unique she is because of her birthmark, as well as how lovely she is on the inside and out.”
Of course, Lacey and Andrew has had their concerns regarding their baby’s birthmark so they took her to an ophthalmologist just to make sure the mark doesn’t affect her vision in any way. They also paid a visit to a dermatologist and a skin specialist. The cutie pie had also undergone an MRI scan. Thankfully, everything seemed fine. She does face a multitude of health concerns such as a slightly higher risk of developing melanoma, but the dermatologist assured them that it is just a birthmark and there is no space for concerns.
What these mom and dad hope for is Natalie to love herself for who she is.
“We know she’ll face some challenges, but her mark indicates she’ll be resilient no matter what life throws at her.”
