Next Up...Head Gear

This week Miah got her much anticipated Head Gear.  Three weeks of prepping for the retainer meant six trips to the orthodontist as the separator elastics kept falling out (and one possibly got digested...it is currently MIA).  She did well getting the appliance cemented in and was then fitted for her head gear.  She is to wear this 10-14 hours per day when she is at home.  The goal is that her upper jaw will move forward over time.  It is estimated at this time to take 6-12 months. She hates it but is being compliant.

Next Steps...

Today Miah had the separator elastics put on her teeth to prepare for the installation of her retainer.  She has been complaining most of the day since they have been put on and we have had to give her Tylenol for the discomfort.  Next week they will take out the elastics, and put the metal rings around her two back teeth, and then the week after that she will have her retainer inserted. 

The good news is that she does not require any palate expansion as we previously thought.  They do need to move her upper jaw forward though, so this retainer will have hooks in which we can attach head gear at night to help with that process.  She gets very teary eyed and anxious if anyone talks about the headgear and keeps saying that she wishes she never had to have a retainer.  Poor girl...and this is just the start....

***Update: Day two-Elastics fall out...back to the orthodontist to put them back in. We were told they replaced them with thicker ones...not the usual ones that show up on Xrays, but an alternative...my question...why do they need to show up on Xrays?  If they get digested?

Disneyland 2014

We headed down to California the last week of February for 8 nights in Anaheim.  We spend 6 days at Disneyland, a day at Sea World in San Diego and a day visiting the California Science Centre with Tian (Miah's friend from China.)

 

 

 

 

 

We had lots of fun...now back to school, back to dance class, back to mom driving everyone everywhere....

2013- "A Year in Review"

 

January-  Miah started the year off with day surgery to remove a tooth that had erupted in her cleft line. She had avoided surgeries in 2012 but started the down the road of bone grafting in 2013.  The removal of this tooth was the first step in this process.

 



 

February-  The last week of February we headed south to Anaheim and LA for seven days of playtime. This year we stayed at the Del Sol hotel and enjoyed our quaint room with bunk beds for the girls. We were very excited to see cousin Alyssa and spend a day with her on the Parks showing her the sights and and foods of Disneyland. Miah discovered that she really likes Splash Mountain and any roller coaster she was tall enough to ride.  What a difference a year makes.  We also had the opportunity to spend a day with Miah's friend from China, Tian. We enjoyed a day with Tian's family exploring Legoland and basking in the joy of their interactions.

 

March-  This Spring Mackenzie participated in three dance competitions.  She performed a Tap solo, placing third at one of the events and was also part of a small modern dance group. She loved this experience and has already started practicing for her 2014 competitions. (This coming year she has a character ballet solo, tap solo and a duet with one of her closest friends.) This girl loves the stage!

 

 

April- We welcomed our first teenager into the house!  Mackenzie turned 13! She celebrated with some of her closest friends at 4cats.  The girls worked together a painting that Mack got to take home and hang in our home, as well as a smaller painting each.

 

May- "A Time to Dance" Our highlight each year is Creators Arts Centre's year end recital. This year was especially fun as all three of our girls were in the recital. Both sets of grandparents were also in town to watch their performance. So special when everyone is all together.

 

 

Notice Miah's purple cast in the above photo?  Another first this year for Miah!

 





 

 

June- Mack was asked to perform in a music video.  She was so excited!  We drove to Penticton for the day and she attended the shoot.  The producer was very impressed by her and said she was easy to work with and was fascinated by her eyes. He even changed the script so that they could feature her eyes in one part. She signed with a casting agent this year and looks forward to working in the industry in the near future.  She auditioned for a crayola commercial this year all well...too bad she didn't get that one, she could have paid off her dance fees for the year!

 

 

July- We started out our summer with a trip down to BC Children's Hospital for Miah to undergo her bone graft surgery. She was a trooper and was released to go home after one night.  They took a piece of bone from her left hip and implanted it into her cleft line. She recovered well, but that hip did give her pain for a couple of months post surgery.

 

August- "Spectacular Spectacular" Mackenzie was involved in her fourth season with Bumbershoot Children's Theatre.  This year they did a show that featured many numbers from different Broadway musicals.  The singing and dancing was amazing. Mack's highlight was a solo of "Naughty" from Matilda. we were all proud of her for stepping outside her comfort zone.

 

In August Miah turned 6! I can't believe how fast she is growing up. It is hard to believe that she has been home for four years now! We celebrated her by having a Monsters Inc. themed birthday party. She was super excited and counted down the days for months in advance! Her favorite present was a G.I.A.N.T. Stuffed Panda!

 

 

 

September- Back to School!  Miah started Grade 1, Madison grade 4 and Mackenzie Grade 8. Mack was asked to join the Senior Band and has been enjoying playing the trumpet with the high school band.  They have a band trip planned for Spring 2014 and will travel to Whistler and Vancouver.

 

In September Mackenzie was also asked to be a part of Bumbershoot's Apprenticeship program.This will open so many doors for her and gives her more opportunities to sing, dance and act...the three things she loves the most. Miah was asked to be a part of the competitive gymnastics team at her gym and she is beyond thrilled...she L.O.V.E.S. gymnastics and loves to show off her moves.  She is now training 8.75 hours a week and doesn't seem to tire of it at all. She will have her first competition in June of 2014.



 

October- We celebrated Madison's 10th Birthday.She decided that she did not want any gifts for herself and asked her friends to bring gifts for the kids at the New Day Foster home in Beijing.  Four of their kids had birthdays in November and they suggested Madison send gifts for their party.  Madison was thrilled to be able to send her package to China.  The best part was seeing photos of the kids opening their gifts. For Madison's party she has a themed mystery party where each child came dressed up as a character and had to read some clues to figure out which one of them "committed the crime." 

 

November- Both Madison and Mackenzie auditioned and received parts in Theatre Kelowna's Christmas Pantomime of "Cinderella and the Silver Twig."  They performed 10 shows over two weekends.  They had a great time meeting new friends and doing live theatre with adults.

 

 

December- Miah and Mackenzie had the opportunity to be a part of the live shadow dance performance at Trinity Baptist's Christmas Eve Services.  They performed during 7 services. Miah was thrilled to be able to be in a performance with her big sister.  Miah played the role of the young Jesus. 

 

Madison got her first pair of glasses in December 2013.  She will be starting school in the new year with a much clearer perspective.

 

 

We wish all our friends and family a very happy and healthy 2014.

Bone Graft Update

We just got back the first set of images since Miah's bone graft. (This photo is 5 1/2 months after her grafting)  The orthodontist seems to think it looks like the graft has taken, but he sent the image to the surgeon in Vancouver just to be sure. In the photo above, the graft area is in between the sideways and twisted front left tooth and the left eye tooth that is coming down on that sharp angle.

This xray also confirms the state of Miah's adult teeth...That front left adult front tooth may or may not be viable. We will have to wait until it comes though to see what it looks like.  But he thinks is it twisted and coming in sideways. He also discovered that she is missing an adult tooth on the upper right (the 4th one).

We go back in January to have her impressions taken in order for them to start palate expansion in the next two months.  The worry here is that expanding her palate post bone grafting is that it could break apart the graft area, causing her to have to re due that surgery...we are praying hard that doesn't happen.

Rejection?

Its been 7 weeks since Miah's bone graft surgery. Overall she is doing well.  She doesn't complain of any pain anymore and her hip has healed nicely. Yesterday we went for a follow up with her Orthodontist. This is what he saw....

See that bump right above her front tooth?  It appears that she may be rejecting some of the bone graft.  He stated that if there was a piece of the graft that failed, the body would try to get rid of it by bringing it to the surface. Our surgeon is on Vacation until Monday but he has been sent this photo and we have an appointment held for us in Vancouver later next week in case he wants to see us.  I am hoping that it is just an undissolved stitch that will come out and that she does not have to have another surgery. Anyone else have experience with this?

Gotcha Day!

Remember This???

 

 

Well here she is four years later!!!

 



 

She was so excited about Gotcha day and is quite proud of the fact that none of her sisters qualify for this special day.  It is hers alone to celebrate!  Since she is still having to eat mushy food she requested Peach Wave for dinner...a local frozen yogurt experience. She was thrilled to have dessert for dinner!  After that we took her to see Despicable Me 2, which she thought was very funny.

 

We love you so much Miss Miah!!!!!

 

 

Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here for an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of love!