Bloom is the New York Times bestselling memoir where author Kelle Hampton interweaves lyrical prose and stunning four-color photography as she recounts the unforgettable story of the first year in the life of her daughter Nella, who has Down syndrome. Bloom is ultimately about embracing life and really living it. Review of Kelle Hampton’s memoir, “Bloom” by Meriah Nichols, deaf mother of a child with Down syndrome. We will hold our precious gift and know that we are lucky From the outside looking in, Kelle Hampton had the. Bloom Finding Beauty in the Unexpected-A Memoir. By Kelle Hampton On Sale. Bloom Finding Beauty in the Unexpected-A Memoir. By Kelle Hampton On Sale. From the outside looking in, Kelle Hampton had the perfect life: a beautiful two-year-old daughter, a loving husband, a thriving photography career, and great friends.
A few weeks ago, I won a book (“Bloom” by Kelle Hampton) from a fellow parent blogger at www.wordsofhisheart.wordpress.com (thanks again!). This inspired me to, once again, try reading the book I was given in the welcome package we received in the hospital. It was a package put together by our local Down syndrome society, loaded with all kinds of information on Down syndrome. It was over-whelming at the time, having all that information. But I love reading, particularly the stories of others and I wanted to read that book….
But every time I picked it up, I cried. I think I made it maybe 20 pages.
(the book is called “Gifts, Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich their Lives”)
So I put it down and now, 7 months later, I have once again started reading it.
The story of one mother really struck me and I once again found myself crying. She received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome around the 20 week mark of her pregnancy. Her medical team seemed to be encouraging her to terminate the pregnancy. Thankfully, she chose to keep her baby.
It doesn’t seem like anything to cry about of course, it is a joyful story of courage and love.
But in May 2011, I experienced the premature still birth of a baby, at 22 weeks gestation. And I remember holding him, (we named him Harlon Leo), examining his tiny, tiny body. He was beautiful, he was the smallest baby I had ever seen but a baby none the less. With ten fingers, and ten toes, wrapped in the smallest blue blanket my adult hands had held. I couldn’t believe he was gone, it was the strongest pain I have ever felt. Nothing had ever shattered me more, no loss could compare. I had never felt such heart break. That tiny baby, was my baby.
And it saddens me to think, that a diagnosis of Down syndrome is so prevalently a cause to end the life of babies. (Very rarely will mothers choose to keep their babies when they receive this diagnosis). I picture my Son, who did not have Down syndrome, but who I lost at the same stage of pregnancy that many women choose to terminate…. I would have given anything to keep the baby I lost.
And now, I have been blessed with my daughter, Autumn. An amazing little girl who happens to carry an extra chromosome. She is such a joy in our lives. She has so much potential and so much strength. I am sure that any mother who meets her would agree.
I know many people say “I could never do that” but when it comes down to it, I am sure you could. Having a child with Down syndrome, is not the end of the world or the end of our lives. It is the start of our family. She is a gift, she teaches me daily. She opens me up to feel and experience things I may never have had the chance to. She teaches me to love regardless, to be accepting and patient beyond what I though I could ever be, her birth has taught me that life is a gift no matter what.
I picture the baby I lost, I imagine what he would look like had he been born full term, alive and healthy. I imagine he would look much like my daughter, who just happens to have Down syndrome. I picture my daughter, growing breech in my belly, kicking me in terribly uncomfortable places, just like any baby would. I picture her ultrasounds and the excitement I felt when I learned she had tons of hair. Her having Down syndrome doesn’t change any of this.
I hope that in the future, mothers will recognize the strength they have, to parent their child, 47 chromosomes or not. I hope that Dads will encourage moms, and stay by their side (where would I be without Autumns father by my side?). I hope that a diagnosis of Down syndrome, will not always mean the end of a child’s life. A baby with Down syndrome is a baby regardless.
Title: Bloom
Author: Kelle Hampton
304 pages, Published by William Morrow Paperbacks
Kelle’s Info: Website | Twitter | Pinterest| Facebook
Buy The Book: Amazon
Summary:
There is us. Our Family. We will hold our precious gift and know that we are lucky . . .
Bloom By Kelle Hampton
From the outside looking in, Kelle Hampton had the perfect life: a beautiful two-year-old daughter, a loving husband, and a thriving photography career. When she learned she was pregnant with their second child, they were ecstatic. But when their new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, Kelle knew instantly that something was wrong. Nella looked different than her sister, Lainey, had at birth. As her friends and family celebrated, a terrified Kelle was certain that Nella had Down syndrome—a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed. Yet gradually Kelle embraced the realization that she had been chosen to experience an extraordinary and special gift.
With lyrical prose and gorgeous photography, Bloom takes readers on a wondrous journey through Nella’s first year of life—a gripping, hilarious, and intensely poignant trip of transformation in which a mother learns that perfection comes in all different shapes.(Summary provided by William Morrow Paperbacks.)
My Thoughts:
The memoir Bloom begins with Kelle Hampton eagerly anticipating the birth of her second child. Like any expectant mother she wonders if she’ll have a boy or a girl. She has showers and begins making a birth plan. When Kelle finds out she’s expecting a girl, she wonders what she’ll be like and is excited for her daughter Lainey to finally have a sister in addition to her two older brothers. She imagines the special bond Lainey and soon-to-be-born Nella will have as sisters. On the day Nella is born, Kelle arrives at the hospital with a heart full of joy and excitement over the new addition the family is about to welcome. She even has favors to pass out to her friends and family who come to visit her in the hospital. Then Nella finally arrives, born as her birth song is playing in the background. Kelle and her husband Brett would soon receive surprising news that would change their lives: Nella has Down syndrome. Kelle’s first reaction is akin to grief. Her dreams of the “perfect” sibling for Lainey are shattered.
But what is perfection? Kelle’s story of coming to terms with and embracing her beautiful Nella is at times painful, joyful, and above all utterly honest. I first came across Kelle Hampton’s blog, Enjoying The Small Things, this past December. In a post full of reindeer runways, fairy gardens, beautifully wrapped presents, and gorgeous children simply titled, “Christmas,” Kelle presented a series of beautiful pictures of her family and discussed how they celebrated the holiday. I learned from that first visit to Kelle’s blog that she had a memoir, and I quickly ordered it.
Bloom is accompanied by beautiful photography throughout the book. Just about every chapter has photos from the events she describes accompanying the text. I read the hardback version of the book and was unfamiliar with Nella’s birth story. I was blown away by the power behind Kelle’s words. The fact that she was able to acknowledge what many women in her situation are probably scared to put into words for fear of what others will think is brave. Despite Kelle’s initial reaction on the day of Nella’s birth, it is impossible to read Bloom and not see it as the story of a mother who loves her family with all her heart. In the new paperback edition of Bloom, there is an extra chapter. Kelle gives a brief update and says the following about Bloom and eventually reading the memoir with Nella one day:
It will take several nights of course -chapter by chapter- but I will read to her through tears and heartache and the bittersweet pain of tender memories. During the hard parts I will hug her, I will kiss her hair, I will thank all that is holy that she is mine. But she will know. She will know that Bloom is a love story and that the gift of her life is a blazing call for us to wake up and live fully.
I highly recommend Bloom to anyone who is a mother, a daughter, or a sister. It is truly inspiring.
*Bloom hit especially close to home for me because my little brother has severe autism. While reading the book I thought about my mother and how she might have felt when she got my brother’s diagnosis. I remembered being in the room when the doctor told my parents, and I remembered the sadness and tears. I also remember the joy my brother brought and still brings to the family.Just because a story starts off sad doesn’t mean it can’t have a happy ending…
Many thanks to TLC Book Tours for including me on the Bloom tour. Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour:
Tuesday, April 2nd: Book Club Classics!
Wednesday, April 3rd: Tina’s Book Reviews
Thursday, April 4th: Lavish Bookshelf
Monday, April 8th: 5 Minutes for Mom
Tuesday, April 9th: Good Girl Gone Redneck
Wednesday, April 10th: From L.A. to LA
Thursday, April 11th: A Patchwork of Books
Monday, April 15th: The Well-Read Wife
Bloom By Kelle Hampton
Tuesday, April 16th: Mrs. Q: Book Addict
Wednesday, April 17th: The Betty and Boo Chronicles
Friday, April 19th: Momma Jorje
Saturday, April 20th: Words of His Heart
Saturday, April 20th: Simeon’s Trail
Brett And Kelle Hampton
Sunday, April 21st: Unringing the bell
Monday, April 22nd: Kritters Ramblings
Tuesday, April 23rd: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
Thursday, April 25th: Suko’s Notebook
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book for review from the publisher, and I make a small commission off of any purchases made by clicking through the Amazon links on this site.
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