When Kayla Kilgore, a Nissan body systems design engineer, learned she was pregnant in early 2023, the first-time mom had a unique idea to document her baby’s growth. While she had seen plenty of parents using things like fruit and household objects for comparison, she turned to her automotive passion to track just how big her little one was getting.
“All of our friends and family were looking forward to it and asking, ‘What’s this week’s car part?’”
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Kayla, who has been with Nissan for six years and is based at Nissan Technical Center North America in Farmington Hills, Michigan, found the idea perfectly aligned with her and her husband Andrew’s love for all things automotive. The couple, who first met at a car show in Ann Arbor in 2017, share a garage filled with project cars, including a Nissan 370Z and an R32 Skyline, providing them with an abundance of parts to choose from.
Each week, Kayla and Andrew would eagerly pick a car part that corresponded with their baby’s size. From a tire valve stem cap to a turn signal, and a side mirror to a headrest, the journey of their son Landon’s growth was measured in the language of their shared passion for cars.
“We would always try to find the part ourselves,” she said. “All of our friends and family were looking forward to it and asking, ‘What’s this week’s car part?’”
In November, Landon made his grand entrance into the world, happy and healthy. Now, back at work, Kayla enjoys reflecting on the journey she documented on Instagram.
“When you look back and you see the different sizes of the parts, you’re amazed. You think, ‘How did this even happen?’” she said.
Landon is now a 6-month-old bundle of energy who loves to wiggle and roll around, but is frustrated that he can’t crawl quite yet. While time will tell if he shares his parents’ passion for cars, it’s clear he’s eager to get on the move.
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