What is a NAM?

People have asked what exactly does Paige's NAM do...here's a short answer.

Basically the NAM (nasoalveolar molding) is a retainer like you would have when you have braces. Fortantly for Hal and I, neither of us have had to have one so we do not have first hand experience with this. But, the NAM works to bring Paige's gum line together to make it easier during surgery to reconnect. It also allows the palate to close up easier as the tissue is still very soft. It helps to expand the tissue to make it easier on the surgeon during the surgery. If it does it's job, Paige MAY NOT need a bone graph when she is 8 years old to close up the small hole in her gum line on the top. This is why she has it so young. When she has her lip surgery, BYE BYE to the NAM!!

Here is a great website if you would like to read more about the NAM! http://cleftsmiles.org/Home.html


Here's a picture of Paige's NAM!

Owen started Kindergarten!

Finally got the pictures out of the car! Had the camera in there since Kindergarten day on Wednesday, Sept 2nd 2009! He's such a big guy now!

Paige without her NAM!

This is Paige this morning without her NAM. Check out her poor little baby acne! Gotta love when Mamma's hormones come back out in the form of little icky pimples! All of my kids have had it at this stage! Should go away in a few days!

Crawford County Fair with Mommy and Daddy!

We love taking the kids to the fair every year. Maddie loves the horses! We let the kids play a few games and ride the Merry-Go-Round. It was fun until it started to rain! :-) Here are a few pictures from the day...







Paige's first fair!

Cleft Palate and Lip Awareness Month

As I'm learning more and more about this #1 Birth Defect in children, I will share with you. Just thought I would let you all know that this month is Awareness for Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip. Here are a few facts for you to learn to be more knowledgeable on this topic.

Cleft lip/ Palate is the #1 Birth Defect in Children. 1 in 600 children are born with it!

CLP (cleft lip/palate) is both hereditary and caused by environmental factors. You do NOT Have to have someone in your family who has it and just because you do, doesn't mean you are going to have a child with it. Case in fact...I have 2 beautiful children prior to Paige who are not cleft affected (nca). There is a 4-5% chance that ANYONE be born with it.

A "HARE LIP" is an offensive term for CLP. DO NOT USE THIS TERM as it really offends MANY People. If you are using it after reading this, shame on you!

There are many types of CLP. Paige has an unilateral cleft lip and palate. There is also a bilateral cleft lip and palate. This affects both sides of the nose. Paige's is only on the one side.

More boys are affected with cleft palate than girls.

Most children with CLP have their lip surgery from 3-6 months of age. Their palate surgery can take place anytime between 9 and 18 months.

Not all babies who have CLP have speech problems. 99.9% do not have any hearing loss.

CLP develops when the baby is around 6 weeks gestation. This is about the time when most moms find out they are actually pregnant. I knew I was pregnant with Paige at about 3 1/2 weeks gestation because I chart my cycles and can tell easily that I'm pregnant.

70% of babies with cleft lip also have cleft palate!



There's just a few of the facts that I have learned. There are so many more as I learn more and more about this birth defect! Please feel free to share this knowledge!

Just remember...

that this is a blog. If you are easily offended, maybe you should skip some of my posts. LOL I'm just in one of these moods where the words that come out of my mouth might not be to everyone's liking. :-) If you know anything about me, you know I'm very opinionated. However, just know that I usually make sure I know what I'm talking about prior to saying anything. If I don't know, I won't say anything. But, this blog is to help me get through all of Paige's surgeries and to be kind of therapeautic to me. So if I say something offensive, I generally don't mean it. I'm just going to speak my mind. Most people (I should say my friends, generally NOT family) think that my way of thought is refreshing. I generally don't sugar coat things and I definitly don't speak of anything that I am ignorant of. But, as of now, I'm going to speaking a little more of my mind concerning issues that bother me. Read, or don't read. That's completely up to you.

Well, now that my 3 year old is reminding me that I really need a shower, I had better do that!

Owen's first day of Kindergarten!

Pics to come soon!!

Owen had his first day of Kindergarten. We got up early, Hal made pancakes and off we went. Stopped at the store to get him a drink for his snack time and then walked with Owen and the girls to the front door. I handed him off to his teacher and said our goodbyes. When we got home, I realized I forgot to give him his drink...so back I went. Good start, already forgetting stuff on the first day. Silly mom!

Owen said he had a great day and was excited to see all of his friends from Pre-K. He shares a class with 2 of them so he was pretty happy about that. He said they went outside twice, watched a movie, ate pizza for lunch with chocolate milk, drew pictures, took a five minute rest time, and had fun. He enjoyed the short bus ride home too. Good times. He was pretty talkative when he got home and begged for a snack. All in all, he enjoyed his first day and wants to go back tomorrow!