She's 6.......

Ryan's birthday is today.

I had said a few times before that I would post pictures of what Ryan looked like when she was born. The above picture was the day after. She looked like her face had been burned. Later that afternoon the doctor told me that she had hemangiomas on her face and that they would keep growing and get so big that she would not be able to see and she would be blind. Not what a first-time mom wants to hear. Then another doctor came in and told me he didn't know what it was and that on our way home from the hospital we were to stop at a pediatric dermatologist to have her checked out and that they were waiting to examine her. After many family prayers and family fasts, the day came when we were released (c-section, four day stay) and the dermatologist took one look and said "they're not hemangiomas, so don't worry about that, but we need to find out what it is." The doctor said she was the 3rd child he had ever seen with this condition. Another doctor told me "well.....you see this in textbooks, but I'd never met a child with it." Few days later, after blood tests from Ryan and me, we found out it was a Lupus Rash. We took Ryan back to the hospital to have her heart checked. Everything came back completely normal! (although I found out I have Sjogrens which I wouldn't have known if it wasn't for Ryan being born). Ryan's rash got better and better every week and by the time she was a year, it was pretty all gone. It left spots on her skin that are thin and the skin behind her ears is so thin, she looks like she has bruises. So...if you see them....I'm not abusing her! :)

And now look at her! She's smart and so hilarious! She loves to sing and loves school.

Happy Birthday Ryan!!! I love you!