I laughed, I cried, I called my mom”

I picked this up not knowing what to expect and ended up finishing it in one sitting. Luke MacPherson doesn’t sugarcoat the terror of that hospital room or the grief of losing the “normal” life you envisioned. It’s genuinely hopeful and full of love. Got copies for three of my friends who just became parents.

My daughter has a chromosomal condition and I’ve read a LOT of books in this space. I usually avoid memoirs that lean too heavily into “everything happens for a reason” tropes, but MacPherson completely avoids toxic positivity here. He is brutally honest about the exhaustion, the terrifying heart monitor beeps, and the sheer panic of having a newborn with Down Syndrome and a congenital heart defect. 

It’s for anyone who has ever had their plans shattered and had to rebuild from scratch. MacPherson doesn’t hold back on the dark, scary moments, which makes Teddy’s joy and the family’s hard-earned victories feel so earned.