10:01 AM PST on Wednesday, March 8, 2006

By ERIC WILKINSON / KING 5 News

KIRKLAND - Born with cerebral palsy after complications at birth, life has never been easy for Tania Finlayson. But she has never shied away from life’s challenges, and has even sought new ones, like skydiving. Now she’s a new mother.

“I wouldn't say anyone with a disability should go have a baby,” said her husband Ken Finlayson. “You have to do the planning, you have to make sure you're responsible because this is a precious thing you're bringing into the world and you have to make sure you can take care of him. After a while you start to take it for granted. I don't even look at her as being disabled anymore.”

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Tania gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

At 38 years old, Tania is a certified skydiver, having completed more than 40 jumps. Some have been from airplanes but others were much more dangerous -- freefalling from helicopters.

Tania quite literally "fell in love" meeting Ken while skydiving.

“She just continues to amaze me, the things that she can do,” he said.

Without the full use of her arms or legs and able to speak only through the help of a special computer, Tania graduated from Bellevue Community College.

Given the circumstances, she has lived a pretty full life. On Tuesday, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  

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Dr. Michael Kenneth delivered through C-section because the baby was in same dangerous position that caused his mother's condition.

“I knew that she'd get through it,” he said. “It was me that was a little questionable.”

Ken and Tania expected resistance when they decided to conceive. But after close consultation with doctors they went ahead, focusing not on her disability, but what Tania is so very ready to do.

“No, she isn't going to be able to provide the physical care but the strength and the emotional support she can give the baby -- I can't imagine anybody having that ability,” Ken said.

 Of all Tania's amazing achievements, she calls this her greatest. But she may not be done yet -- a sibling may be in the works.

“Check back in a year, we'll see,” Ken said. “I'd never put anything past her.”

Doctors say mothers with cerebral palsy pose no risk of passing it on to their babies and their pregnancies are usually quite normal.