It has been a year of cherished firsts for new parents Maricyl Palisoc and Charles Wilton.

Over the past 12 months, the Mississauga couple has watched in amazement as their baby boy, William, smiled his first smile, got his first tooth and took his first steps — small moments made extraordinary by the fact that they nearly slipped away.

“Every day he does something new,” said Palisoc, her doting gaze fixed on the rosy-cheeked child wriggling in her lap. “Every day is an awesome day.”

Palisoc, 35, and Wilton, 29, both have cerebral palsy, a disability that impairs motor skills and speech, but does not affect mental capacity. Concerned about their ability to care for a baby, Peel Children’s Aid Society stepped in during the final months of Palisoc’s pregnancy.

But after an emotional battle, the couple won the right to raise William last May, a few weeks after he was born.

The victory filled a gaping hole for Wilton, who spent his childhood bouncing between foster homes.

His right forearm bears William’s name, inked in strong cursive letters that swirl toward a blazing yellow sun.

“I never had a family,” said Wilton, taking in Palisoc and William, cuddled on the couch in their apartment on a recent afternoon. “I love them very much.”

From the outset, their foray into parenthood has been fraught by the doubts of others. But each day, with help from personal support workers, on-site 24/7 at their assisted living facility, they show they are capable of meeting William’s needs.

There is much they can do on their own, if through careful negotiation. When William starts to fuss, Palisoc wraps her arms around the baby, rocking to her feet and placing him in Wilton’s lap. She makes her way to the kitchen and heats up a bottle, resting it on the wooden arm of the couch until she has retrieved her boy.

With a few vigorous gulps William is calm, his little fingers tugging at a lock of Palisoc’s hair as he closes his eyes.

“Most people are worried about how we will do later, but we will do fine,” she said.

According to Linda Soulliere, executive director of the Coalition for Persons with Disabilities, their experience shows that more education about the potential of parents with disabilities is required.

“I’ve seen how they’ve grown into it, and the love that they have for this child,” said Soulliere, whose organization was instrumental in pleading the couple’s case. “Everybody can learn something from that — that people are able to do a lot more than we give people credit for.”

The last year has also been a learning experience for the couple, who will be married in June. They initially intended to give William a sibling, but like many new parents, took a step back after realizing how much time, money and energy child-rearing requires.

“Right now we want to focus on William,” said Palisoc, who plans to return to her job as an AMC theatre usher, though she has not set a firm date. A retired Paralympian for Canada, Wilton is not working at the moment, but hopes to one day help train future Paralympians in track, his sport. They rely on provincial disability support to make ends meet.

Wilton said that it has been “weird but good” to see William, who attends daycare, reach developmental milestones that his own cerebral palsy prevented him from achieving.

They know it won’t be long until William, who turns 1 on Saturday, learns to run. But Wilton is confident that their son will realize their limitations.

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“He will understand that we are not able to run after him,” said Wilton.

Palisoc, on the other hand, is not so sure. But it is clear to her that their boy, an active baby with wavy black hair and deep brown eyes, understands the way they speak, which to him, “seems normal.”

“We both will help him William deal with whatever comes along as a family,” she said. “We are not worried.”

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