We Are All Beautiful

This story is a heart warmer. Tara found out she was pregnant and started dreaming of meeting her perfect daughter. When Pip was born, she was diagnosed with Down's syndrome and Tara's initial reaction was devastation. But when Pip arrived in this world, a star was born. She was on a quest to show Tara (and the world) that what makes us different makes us beautiful.

Tara's journey has been incredible and Pip is a trail blazer for defying misconceptions and preconceptions. They make quite a team - head over to www.happysoulproject.com to see what they're up to.

We sold Tara's story to That's Life magazine in the UK and are aiming to find a few more homes for Tara, Pip and their beautiful story.

All Tara wanted was the perfect baby. When that didn’t happen, she was devastated. But Pip taught her what makes you different makes you beautiful.

Tara, 32, explains:

After our son was born, my husband and I wanted another perfect child.

I hoped I’d have a daughter this time. A perfect, beautiful daughter who would make my world complete.

So when the doctor told me he suspected my new born baby girl had Down’s Syndrome, I felt like I’d been punched. I called my husband, Craig, 33, who was looking after our son, Noal, two. He rushed to my side.

I wish I could go back in time and tell myself how bright and wonderful our lives were about to become, because all I could think was the worst. Doctors baffled me with worst case scenarios and bad news.

I’ve never cried so much. I felt angry, scared, guilty. My plans for a ‘perfect’ family were out the window.

Those early phone calls we were supposed to make to family to let them know the good news were not so joyous. We were delivering terrible news - our baby was not okay.

Pip had cataracts and at five weeks old, surgery corrected her eyes. She has to wear special glasses and I have to put a lens in her eye every few days.

At six months old she had heart surgery too.

It was a whirlwind. Suddenly all the mattered was our little girl making it through surgery - Down’s Syndrome became irrelevant.

And then I got to know Pip. I realised, she was here to teach me a few things.

I launched a blog all about my feelings when Pip was born and my feelings now, and I had mothers contacting me from all over the world telling me that they were going to abort their babies, but when they read about Pip, they changed their minds.

She’s only one and she’s already changing lives.

Now, we’re showing that what makes you different makes you beautiful. Pip is a role model and she’s causing quite a stir.

I still get people peering into the pram in supermarkets and boldly asking ‘what’s wrong with her?’

My answer is always the same: absolutely nothing. I was devastated when I thought my baby wasn't perfect. Now I realise perfect is exactly what she is.