Sunday Citar

It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.  ~Sally Field

My daughter has a birthmark on her face.

Most of you already know that.

I don't really tend to talk about it much.  Mostly because I completely forget it is there.  I typically am reminded that it is there when people ask about what we are planning on doing about it or I see a little girl or boy walk up to Lily and ask her what is on her face.  Lily responds to the inquiries by stating it's a chocolate birthmark.  The kid usually looks at her and says ok and they go about their business.  I asked Lily if it bothers her when people ask about it and she just tells me that it's just annoying.  (Got to love she even knows what the word annoying is....10yr old older brothers...gotta love them)  I explained to her that the person asking probably doesn't know what birthmarks are and were just curious. 

I can understand everyone's curiosity but, adults pushing their ideas that we should "do" something about her face...not so much.  It is actually really RUDE.  I don't mind people asking questions, what bothers me is when people tell me that I have to fix it.  WHY?  Does it bother you that much? 

Don't get me wrong.  As her parents, her father & I are concerned about her self esteem as she gets older.  There is hair on her birthmark and we am waiting for that 1st kid to make fun of the hair on her face.  I know it is inevitable, kids can be cruel and mean. 

Over the last 4yrs we have taken Lily to see 2 dermatologists and a few weeks ago we took Lily to see a plastic surgeon.  Jeff & I just wanted to see what he had to say and our options.  Turns out that we can not have the hair removed or the mark lighten it at all.  We would have to have the whole birthmark removed, which would mean they would surgically remove the top layer of skin and the layer underneath it where the hair follicles are.  Long story short, she would have 2 surgeries and we would be trading a birthmark for a scar.  Not a huge scar & it would be in the natural contour of her smile, but a scar non the less.  Right now the surgery is not right for Lily, she has expressed that she likes her birthmark and does NOT want it gone.  As for the hair, we were told we can shave it.  She does NOT want to shave the hair either.  Personally I would like her to let us shave it, but we are respecting her feelings.

She is happy just the way she is.

And so are we.  :)


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Busy Busy!

Yesterday after our appointment, I was busy making Belle, Sleeping Beauty and Tinkerbell. I still would like to eventually make Jasmine and Princess Tiana (Princess & the Frog). For now these are it. My daughter LOVES all of them and my nieces are going to be sooo excited when they each get a set.

I am also selling them as a set of 5. I know there are more than 5 here, but I am not sure that everyone would want both ariels and tinkerbell, so I figured it would be better to let you choose.



Lily's appointment with the dermatologist went well yesterday. It was just our annual check-up. She was born with a birth mark on her face by her mouth. Within the last year and a half we have been weighing out our options on what to do about it. We have spoken with 2 dermatologists (one I go to and one at our Children's Hospital). It seems that in order to remove the birthmark Lily would have to undergo surgery to remove that portion of her face. Um, yeah...not gonna happen. We still want to meet with a plastic surgeon, but I am pretty sure we do not feel comfortable justifying putting her through something like that. About a year ago she started to get hair on the birthmark, which is normal. Yesterday I asked about having the hair removed. I think having the hair gone will help with the self conscious thing when she hits school. Children can be soooo cruel. We are going to revisit that next year, I guess removing the hair is very controversial in the US, but VERY common in other parts of the world. For now it is what it is...her "Chocolate Birthmark". (Lily came up with that name)

I would like to thank everyone for all of your well wishes yesterday. I am feeling a bit better today. THANK YOU!