in loving memory
Theodore
the Tiny
August 24, 2025
Theodore Dung Morris
Dung – Vietnamese for Warrior
August 24, 2025 • 2 lbs • 13.5 inches
My sweet little warrior.
At our 20-week anatomy scan, we knew something was wrong. We waited for testing. The waiting was brutal. When the diagnosis came, it hit like a freight train. Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards syndrome. A chromosomal condition often incompatible with life. The future we imagined shifted. We entered a season of uncertainty, research, and decisions no parent should ever have to make. Every day I woke up knowing that day might be the day I lost him. Anticipatory grief became our constant companion.
Theodore was born on August 24, 2025. He weighed 2 pounds and was 13.5 inches long. At 11:55 PM, he took his first breath and changed our lives forever.
I wanted to dress him.
But I hadn’t known what size to prepare for. Every ultrasound showed him growing, but always below the curve. There was no size to plan for. No certainty to hold onto. I’d searched online. Premie sizes, micro premie, even baby doll clothing. I’d fill shopping carts and then stop. The emotional toll was too much. Decision paralysis set in. What if he was bigger? What if he was smaller? What if we didn’t have time? Nothing felt concrete enough to commit to. And then the whys would creep in.
It was impossible to prepare when everything was uncertain.
In the quiet after, we couldn’t stop thinking about other families walking this road. No one should have to face this without options.
The Extra Stitch was born from our grief and from our desire to ensure that something exists. For every family. For every baby.
No matter how small.
Every Theodore Set honors his memory. Every bear carries his story forward.
If you’re reading this because you’re walking a similar road: you’re not alone. The whys, the impossible decisions, the grief that starts before goodbye. We understand. We see you.
With love, always — Theodore’s family
In memory of Theodore the Tiny • August 24, 2025
THE EXTRA STITCH