Covington baby with new heart celebrates 1st birthday

A Covington baby who received a new heart just before Christmas is celebrating his 1st birthday on Thursday, June 9.

Last year, Kaleb Waddleton's parents thought their son had a simple cold, but instead doctors diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy. After spending months at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, baby Kaleb received a new heart on December 4.

"God blessed me with one strong little boy," mother Marissa Waddleton said on Facebook Thursday morning. "Three months of his life were definitely the hardest, but looking back at it today it was only a short period of his life that he will only remember what I tell him and the pictures I show him."

Waddleton said they are taking Kaleb to Zoo Atlanta on his actual birthday, but have a big party planned for Saturday.

"Mickey Mouse theme," she said. "Of course Mickey will be there."

Recently, Kaleb had a six-month checkup where a heart cath revealed zero rejection.

"He's doing amazing," Waddleton told FOX 5. "You would never know the difference."

Waddleton said baby Kaleb is constantly crawling, pulling up on everything and he's very close to walking.

"I wake up and go to bed thanking God that Kaleb is just now a normal 1 year old who is so full of life."

Waddleton said her son still has to get frequent lab draws, but his appointments are now every two months. She said throughout this journey the power of prayer has been amazing.

To keep up with baby Kaleb on Facebook, click here.