A little girl who began life weighing just 2lbs 1oz is about to have her biggest moment yet — with her picture set to light up the giant screen in New York’s Times Square.

Molly Jo was born at just 29 weeks with Down syndrome, arriving far earlier and smaller than her family had hoped.

Her first months were filled with challenges. Doctors discovered that Molly Jo had a hole in her heart, requiring surgery at UAB before she was transferred to Children’s of Alabama.

There, the tiny newborn spent seven long months in the hospital as her family waited and hoped for the day she could finally begin life outside the NICU.

For her mother Gabrielle Miller, the experience was especially emotional. She works as a NICU nurse at Children’s, but because Molly Jo was her own daughter, she could not personally care for her.

“While I was not allowed to care for Molly Jo, it was reassuring that my friends and co-workers took care of our daughter,” Gabrielle said.

Those months were not easy. Molly Jo had to grow stronger after arriving in the world so early, while her family watched every small step forward with hope.

But little by little, she made progress.

Today, at two and a half years old, Molly Jo is thriving and continuing to reach milestones in her own time. She is not yet walking or speaking, but her family says she continues to make strides.

“She’s one of our biggest blessings,” Gabrielle said.

And now, a new chapter is about to begin.

On September 12, Molly Jo’s smiling face will appear on the enormous video screen in Times Square, giving her family a chance to celebrate just how far their little girl has come.

Molly Jo was selected by the National Down Syndrome Society from around 3,000 applicants, with only a few hundred children chosen for the special Times Square celebration.

The Millers, from Alabaster, Alabama, will travel to New York next month to watch their daughter take center stage.

For Gabrielle and Bryson Miller, the moment will mean far more than seeing a photograph on a giant screen.

It will be a celebration of the tiny girl who arrived weighing just over two pounds, spent seven months in the hospital, faced heart surgery and countless challenges — and kept moving forward.

“We are so excited to see her on that screen,” Gabrielle shared. “She has come such a long way.”