The next step and new accessories

Baby Maaike and I are doing well. Being back in Utah has given Maaike the chance to meet some of her relatives and has given me ample time to catch up on all the TV I had been missing (unfortunately I hadn't missed much). Maaike has been tested, observed, and discussed. So young and already so popular. Fortunately we have come to a resolved coarse of action. On July 2nd Maaike will undergo a one hour surgery to place a tracheostomy in her tiny neck. A great website with photos of other kiddos in Maaike's club is tracheostomy.com. We estimate she will have her trach for 2 to 4 years, buying us time for Maaike to grow and to observe the growth of her cysts. To ensure Maaike makes it safely to her surgery she has picked up a few new accessories including an oxygen tank and oxycemeter for her sleeping hours. Next stop... a 1980's choker.

2 weeks and the lipstick legend

When Maaike was born one of the first things we noticed was her beautiful full lips. Many a woman has paid big bucks for a nice pouty bottom lip and Maaike's even came with purple lipstick pre-applied. Sid told the kids that while I was pregnant I accidentally swallowed some purple lipstick that Maaike grabbed. But, being a baby, her application skills are a little premature and the lipstick got all over her tongue too. At three days old an ultrasound showed that Maaike didn't stop there and decorated the inside of her neck with some bead like accessories. So young and already a diva.

So what does that mean you may ask. Well, we don't really know yet. Our pediatriction in Beijing sent Maaike and m e on a plane to Primary Children's hospital in Salt Lake City to hopefully find out while Sid holds down the fort with Coy and Kees in Beijing. Thankfully Maaike has been doing really well and we only had to spend one observational night at the hospital. Our days have been spent running different tests, meeting with specialists, enjoying the beautiful Utah mountains, and waiting. Sid has been super mom and dad taking Coy to school, changing Kees' diaper, taking the kids to the park and aquarium, catching a little of the playoffs, working, and waiting. We are praying that the waiting will be over soon and we can start getting to work fixing up Maaike and bring our family back together... for the love of a baby diva.