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I love you. That is all.

You do have endless possibilities. I saw one used to showcase antique linens, another hung and used as a pot rack over an island (it was shorter). Let us see the final outcome!

Xoxoxo

All really good advice. I had my last in a foreign country and little to no support. It was hard. I did have a few friends nearby but they had their own multitude of kids to care for.

What an excellent post! I can SO relate, and I’m sure many, many others can as well! You’re a fantastic writer- keep up the great work, mama!

My baby has a large hemangioma, as well, so I understand these comments (usually unintentionally) hurt. My daughter’s is on the back of her neck and a 10 year old girl walked up to me and asked when it would go away. I told her not fit quite a few years. She responded with, “At least her hair will eventually cover it.” This child meant no harm, but my mommy heart was broken. I do t try to hide it in pictures. I never shy away from people seeing it. It is a part of her and she is just perfect.

I will say they my daughter’s IS causing her great pain and pushing her muscles out of alignment, therefore she has to have it surgically removed. Because of these issues, I welcome anyone who wants to pray it will go away. If I woke up tomorrow and it was gone, I could cancel the surgery and would be thrilled. I do understand, though why it can stil be hurtful to hear those words.

Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous. She is lucky to have a mom who will stand up for her and instill confidence in her (as all parents should do for all of their children); just as I know you are very lucky to have her as a daughter. I am sure you are the same way, but I look at my daughter everyday and wonder, “How in the world did we get so lucky! She is perfect!” 🙂

My daughter was born with a strawberry hemangioma on the same cheek. It also went into her eye and ended up causing astigmatism because of the pressure of the birth mark on the eyeball. Since it started in utero, by the time she was 4-5 months old, it hit involution and slowly started to fade. The specialists told us to it would be gone by age 5 but it really was faded by age 3-4 and yes completely gone by kindergarten. I learned to ignore the looks and when I did, they went away. I recently learned I have a hemangioma on one of my lungs (no bigs) so at least we know where she got hers! Your daughter is beautiful. Kudos for writing this post…more awareness and education about birth marks is essential.

My son has one on his forehead and at one point it was the size of a silver dollar and raised about an inch (and bright red!). My MIL has been pestering us since he was born about removing it ASAP so it won’t “hurt or embarrass him”. Every procedure and medication carries a risk so it just hasn’t been worth it to us to do anything about it. When people (strangers!) make comments, it usually takes a minute to remember what they are talking about since we don’t even notice it. Now at 23 months it has shrunk to about 1/3 the size it was at 6 months and it is much flatter and fading in color. I’m sure he will notice it one day and we will just explain to him that everyone has things that make us different–it’s s good thing! You’ll be surprised how quickly hers will fade!

My son was born with a large hemangioma that covered most of his private areas. As he’s grown older it has lightened and almost went away. I was always so self conscious about it. Nobody really saw it, but I just thought about when he gets older. I’m glad there’s someone who has shown me the light in his little birthmark.

She’s beautiful (but you already know that). My son has PKU and when I explain to people that he can’t eat meat, have dairy (cheese, milk ect) or eggs and most regular breads or pasta or flour (he has special breads, pasta and flour) I have had people say “what do you feed it” and look at my son like he has 5 heads. I know a mom who has a baby with pku who was told that she should put her out of her misery if she can’t eat meat. What I’m getting at us people are cruel, they are mean and say mean things. Like your daughter, my son is FINE and there is no reason for the nasty comments people give. BUT for some reason people cannot handle imperfection, to me imperfection is what makes you stand out and shine.

Thanks for trying to educate the masses. 😉 She is truly beautiful! Look at those blue eyes and porcelain skin. Gorgeous.

And here I thought it was because they’re 6 years apart (they are six years apart, right?) so eventually G will be 12 and CK will be 6! lol… I was kind of close 😉

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Have a blessed weekend! 🙂

Our baby girl (and first baby!) is set to be here in 2.5wks via C-section & your recap of Charlie’s story is exactly what I needed! I’m slightly petrified of most everything, but know it’s all going to work out in the end!

Your daughter is beautiful. You definitely are not alone in the comments you receive or the way you feel. My second daughter was born in Sept. 2011 with a hemangioma on her left arm…sort of right on top of where her bicep muscle is. Not too many people saw it until she was about 6 months old and the weather warmed up in the spring. It was visible any time she had on a short sleeved or sleeveless shirt. People used to say the rudest things to us about her birthmark. I had people…MOTHERS…ask me things like “What did you do to leave that big bruise on her arm?” Some people refused to believe that it was a birthmark. Very frustrating. The absolute worst was a comment from a woman when we were at Disney World. My daughter was about 8 months old at the time and she asked what “that” was on her arm. I went through the whole spiel about what it was, yada yada and her response was “Well, she’s cute anyways.” WHAT?! Of course she’s cute…with or without a hemangioma. She’s my daughter and she’s beautiful…and so is yours. My daughter is almost 4 1/2 now and her hemangioma is not nearly as noticeable. It has grown with her and faded over the years, much to my surprise. Even if it looked the same now as it did when she was a baby it certainly wouldn’t change how I feel about her.

On the one hand I want to be fuming mad at the callous and heartless bullying of these people who think they have the right to try to tear someone down, but then I’m reminded that you will never, ever, EVER please everyone. Being able to overcome the self shaming and being confident in the woman, mother, wife God created you to be is what matters, and in my eyes my friend, you are incredible!

I recently had an experience with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law passive aggressively letting me know that the way I chose to sleep train my six month old was going to cause psychological issues in the future and nutrition deficits now (and let’s just say I took the most gentle approach to sleep training possible, they just thought I shouldn’t sleep train at all). It wasn’t even cyber bullying but man it did it hurt me. Such a good reminder that we can only do the best we can and we will never please everyone. Thank you!

Oh man. I don’t understand the people who are cruel. I’ve received some mean comments, and I always have to wonder about the person typing them out.

My daughter Maya is 9 years old and we first noticed her birthmark a few days after she was born. it was in the same location as your daughter’s. Our daughters ballooned to maybe 1/4 to 1/2 the size of your daughters. It was very very red. Shockingly red. We were at Walmart once, and a lady had the nerve to ask me who punched my baby. ????? Who punches babies? I had a teachable moment, I guess. At 6 weeks and then again later, she had steroids injected into the hemangioma. It shrunk it immediately. I was told that they don’t do this anymore, but not sure. It has been faded since she was 3 or 4 and most people can’t even tell she had it to begin with. I can see where it was, because I’m mom. 🙂 I am very grateful that the doctors we saw were able to manage it and us, since we were so nervous about it. (She is our firstborn!) I think your daughter is just gorgeous.

I love your article. I felt like I was reading my own words. Both of my children have hemangiomas. My 4-year old’s hemangioma is almost completely faded, but I still remember all the comments about his “owie” when he was a baby. We don’t even see our kids’ hemangiomas anymore and therefore we don’t talk about them at home, so those comments sometimes feel like they come out of the blue. Their hemangiomas are just part of who they are! Thank you for this article!

What a cutie Charlie is! Her eyes are mesmerizing! I am all too familiar with the looks, the comments and the reactions a birthmark brings out in people. My oldest daughter B, she just turned 27, was born with a condition known as Sturge-Weber syndrome. She has a port wine stain birthmark on half her face and neck, one of her arms has patches of it down to her wrist. She has seizures too, she’s developmentally delayed (I tell people she’s 27 going on 12!) but the hardest part being her mom is trying to protect her from the ugly in life. It’s been hard, when she was a baby I went through the angry faze when I saw or heard rude things and I realized I didn’t want her to be angry about it; there’s nothing wrong with HER! She’s grown and I think I did okay because she can handle things better than I can at times. She tells me, “I just tell them it’s a birthmark and my name and hi” and goes about her business. Her dad was more concerned with it when she was young, and she had a few laser treatments but oh the recovery from those was just heart breaking! So when she was about 9 after a laser procedure on her cheek and neck she said, “Momma, do I have to have this I don’t want it.” You got it honey, and her dad stopped pestering to have it done. Whether Charlie’s birthmark stays or goes-it’s not who she is. I look at it this way: she has a leg up on the world because she stands out from everybody else! Those eyes though! 😉

I adore this post, Katie! I think it’s great that you are soaking up as much of your grandparents as you can. I lost my grandfather last July and it has been so hard without him. I miss him every single day. Thank you for posting.

So perfect!

I could not love this more!!! Yes yes yes, Amen, hell yes, yes, yes!!!!!!! This is me. Every single one of these. There are so many misconceptions around pregnancy and motherhood and they do nothing but make us feel like failures or that we aren’t normal if we don’t live up to them. Thank you for posting this!!!!! xoxo

I first saw your post on scary mommy and the second I saw Charlie’s beautiful face I had to read the story. My little girl Leighton has a hemangioma on her forehead right about her left eye. It came out of nowhere 3 weeks after she was born. I can totally relate to the comments. I had an older couple say “do your parents beat you” or “she is very pretty otherwise” people are harsh and have no filters. I was sad at first about it but now it’s just apart of who she is. I dont even notice it anymore and I always say it’s a beauty Mark and a sweet kiss from an angel. Thank you again for sharing. It’s always comforting knowing other families are going through this too!

Preach sister!!! This is so spot on!

We are at a point now in society where you literally cannot say one thing without offending SOMEONE. Even the most inane comments are offensive in ways you would never even think! It’s so ridiculous to think that someone doing something differently than you is some how a personal attack. I definitely find myself guilty of it from time to time, but to go out of your way to comment on it is just a special kind of crazy! Keep on keeping’ on girl!

All of these are so, so good! It takes all of my self-control not to ‘educate’ moms who say they can’t drink (alcohol or caffeine) because they’re breastfeeding. I figure, to each their own, but I’ll be drinking both because otherwise how do you survive the newborn phase at all?! — Lisa | Naptime Chai

She is beautiful!!! I was born with a very large hemangioma that covered the entire left side of my face. As a very young child I didn’t realize I was different until the outside world started pointing it out. People can be terribly cruel and ignorant.

Love seeing pictures of your little girl and hearing your story.

Yes! Thank you for posting this. My now 11-year-old son has had a hemangioma next to his eye since just after he was born. We used to get so many comments from people who just couldn’t see past the birthmark to the beautiful blue-eyed smiling child that he is. I was constantly finding myself amazed at how crude and cruel people could be, especially after my son became old enough to understand the comments. Your daughter is beautiful, and we see the beautiful blue-eyed smiling baby that she is.

I NEED that sweatshirt! Thanks for sharing. Momma could use her own Easter basket!

LOVE everything here!!! You girl, have had a very crazy week and I’ve been so excited to see your post pop up all over my FB feed from Huffington and GMA!!! SO cheering you on, and I’ve been helping share your story because it’s beautiful and I want everyone to hear it. I hope you have an awesome weekend!

Coming here to join the chorus of both “what a beautiful sweety!” and “Propranolol”. My daughter had a hemangioma about the size of a half ping pong ball on the front of her throat. Due to the placement, it constantly rubbed against collars and the car seat strap and began threatening to ulcerate when she was about 6 months old. Our doctor referred us to a propranolol treatment program and the results were, really, nearly immediate. Visible shrinkage within the first week, flat by 9 weeks, gone entirely within 4 months (she now has a dime-sized slightly discolored spot which looks like a decades old hair curler burn by comparison). We had no side effects whatsoever. I had never previously heard of Propranolol and it wasn’t in any of the new baby books I read, if they had a section on hemangiomas they didn’t mention it. A lot of doctors still don’t know about this! So even if it’s not what you want to do with your beautiful daughter (because yes, hemangiomas fade), I think parents coming here because their own children have them should be aware of this option.

Charlie is totally gorgeous!! Thank you so much for your brave story. Our Charlotte was also born with according to our paediatrician and midwife the worst hemangioma they had ever seen!!! Cue manic googling and opinions being sought worldwide from the relative comfort of my hospital bed.
fast forward exactly 7 months and yes when Charlotte is cold you can see where she has her hemangioma, you too can also see where it has affected her complexion aka port wine stain on most of her face….. BUT it doesnt take away from her gorgeous smile and eyes. Also I found the best part of peoples smug comments…. is to stop them in their tracks and move on…. usually with a medical fact on hemangiomas!!! hope we can be Facebook friends and I wish your Charlie all the best!!! Xxx

It happened to my God Daughter and her Mom was self conscious and reacted to “what other people said”. She learned real fast how proud we were of our little girl. She gained strength from knowing that pride in ones self and family. Only you and your Family’s opinion matters. My brother had professional pictures taken. She had operation at 2year old removing tumor. The ” scare” is just a feature of her beautiful face. She is 20 years now, and very pretty. She looks like her mom. Someone doesn’t like the way your kid looks, too dam bad. God Bless you and yours.

My son was born with a hemangioma just below his Adam’s apple on his neck/chest. I remember fearing more for him at how others would judge, comment or ridicule him as he grew up than anything else. To me he was perfect. The doctors told us it wasn’t painful and that it would fade over time which seemed unbelievable based on the appearance at the time. When he became old enough to ask about it we told him that the Angels kissed him when he was born because he was so beautiful. He’s proud now to share that story with his friends that have questions. I used to rub geranium essential oil on it as someone recommended that to help it fade and he would quickly cover it with his hand and say “no, that’s where God kissed me”.
He’s going on 8 years old now and it has shrunk down substantially and faded from a bright purplish red to barely noticeable. Even if he has the birthmark the rest of his life, it is a reminder of his perfection for just being himself! I hope your daughter grows up confident & proud that she too was made perfectly exactly as she is.

Hi Katie! I love your blog about Charlie’s Hemangioma. It brought me back to the day back in June of 1999 when I first discovered that my newborn baby boy had a bump under his right ear. Turned out to be a Capillary Hemangioma but underneath the skin, so there wasn’t the “strawberry” coloring on the surface, just what turned into a large bump on the right side of his face. Like you, we had a great Ear/Nose/Throat doctor who assured me it would affect his hearing or breathing and that the best course of action was to do nothing. For my son, it reached it’s maximum size by the time he was a year old. Soon after that we began to notice it shrinking and by the time he started Kindergarten, it was barely even visible.

I use to get questions in the grocery store or where ever we were about his bump. For the most part people were kind about it, plus he’d flash them his big, beautiful smile and charm the pants off of them.

Charlie is so precious and has so much to look forward to in her life. She is going to charm the pants off of everyone she meets.

Thanks for sharing your story and reminding me of mine.

Beautiful article, gorgeous baby (and pretty mom). I learned a lot from this. Thank you so much.

First off your daughter is beautiful! My daughter has a hemangioma also close to her eye and we decided to not do any treatment for it. We instead placed her in a case study to try to help others. The comments we heard from people (adult) was amazing. Every thing from “Did you see that kids face” to “Awww what did daddy do to your face”. Talk about a hostile mother! We decided to change her diet and give her as much antioxidant as possible and the results we’re amazing! My daughter is five now and her hemangioma looks like a shadow in pictures. She is so confident in her self if anyone asks her what’s on her face she tells them “It’s my cutie mark and it’s makes me beautiful”. Don’t let anyone make you feel like your not doing the right thing!

I just had to comment after I saw your post mentioned on Buzzfeed. I have two younger brothers who are identical twins. One had a hemangioma that was on his eye lid and covered half his eye. We used to always joke that it was the only way we could tell them apart! The hemangioma was gone by the time my brother was in elementary school.

Thank you for your post. I aslo had a hemangioma when I was a baby. It was on the side of my face and started developing by my ear when I was 1 month old. By the time I was 1, it looked as though I had 2 heads, one being big & red. Mine was also cosmetic. The docotors told my parents that it could go away completely when I was older. This was back in the mid 60’s. By age 4, my parents finally decided on trying surgery to remove it. When they showed up for the pre-op appointment, they said they would not do surgery that it was beginning to shrink. Even though my parents were in disbelief that is was shrinking, they took me home and it became a waiting game. I remember talking to my mom about it. I was so young that I only remember pictures. I am greatful that they took pictures and didn’t try to hide it. When I was in my late elementary, early teens, I was embarrassed by my baby pictures. I was young and immature. Now as an adult, I appreciate the pictures and I am glad they took them. You, like my mother, told me that I was a beautiful baby as I am sure you will tell you daughter. My mother said it was the adults who would make rude comments or I’ll pray for you comments as opposed to kids. She said the kids always accepted the explanation and moved on. Thankyou for sharing your post. It made say to myself what a great mom I had who always made me feel beautiful! I am going to call my mom after typing this and tell her I love her:)

my sister had a huge mark like that but raised with blood underneath on her hand for many years as a baby..It went away. they called hers a strawberry mark. She is beautiful. I try to teach everyone I know to love your body no matter what you are going through. I have a rare disease called arthrochalasia which gives me kyphoscoliosis or curved spine. I went through so much as a kid. My only hurdle has been pain. The pain with this disease is horrendous. I wish your little baby a life filled with self confidence ,love ,joy and acceptance and of course pain free.

Be realistic even if it hurts. The child will blame you when she becomes a teenager and other kids look at her in a different way. This conditions are better treated surgically when the child is young and some institutions do community service by granting free medical care to people that could not pay for it otherwise. Search medical schools and community agencies that may help you find that doctor that is willing, some TV stations offer programs to help people find solutions and you should contact all available, searching for help. In Miami, FL channel 7 has a program called Help Me Howard, you could contact them and they could advice you. The younger the better for successful surgery.

Thank you so much for this post! My son was born with a hemangioma as well. While it isn’t nearly as extensive as your daughter’s, we still receive constant comments such as “What happened to his poor little head?” and “Did he fall down?”, etc. It’s located right above his nose on his forehead. And personally, I think it’s absolutely beautiful and it makes him that much more unique. I know that many people don’t realize immediately that it’s a birthmark, but there is no excuse for anyone saying that it detracts from a child’s beauty. All children are beautiful, wonderful, amazing little beings. Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous and her hemangioma only adds to her beauty. I don’t know if you practice any particular religion, but as far as I’m concerned, God doesn’t make mistakes. Her birthmark is a part of her and no one should pass judgment or “pray that it goes away”. Why would anyone “pray” that something that is uniquely your daughter’s disappear? Thank you again for the informative post 🙂

Such a doll! My daughter was born with a large hemangioma on her back and it was so hard to manage at first. Being on her back she had to be handled a certain way and you could tell she was in pain because of it at times. We went to several specialists until we found the right one. They sent us to a cardiologist to prescribe propanol and monitor the size. It shrank to a very small size and while the skin is still pink it’s almost like it is gone. It’s a hard process to deal with, we were in and out of doctors every week. Just keep at it and love that little girl, cause she is going to repay you tenfold!

Katie
I am a 56 year old man and have a strawberry port wine stain on my face, around and under my left eye. I am writing this reply/comment to offer insight to the effects that the birthmark on Graysons’ face will have, mostly on an emotional basis, in short it has shaped most everything in my life, big and small. personally and professionally
if you are interested, I would be happy to share with you some of the impacts such an exposed mark can make, in terms of society’s first reactions and comments and the scars that can be left behind.
I only offer this because my parents struggled with the decisions on how to deal with it and weather or not it would be wise to have any treatments so close to my eye. I can offer hindsight in those decisions now, and the things that I wish i would have done. feel free to contact me via email if you like

Our oldest had multiple hemangiomas when she was little including one below her eye like your daughter. She ended up having surgery when she was two and a half because of a rupture. I just wanted to say good for you for standing up for your daughter. My wife and I understand the looks and questions you get as we went through that as well. The one thing I would say is stay on top of it (as you are!) as we had many doctors telling us it would go away on its own and if we were not aggressive, she could have had serious issues. Also to let you know, the scars she has are minimal and have all but faded in the 9 years since her surgery. Thank you for sharing and know you are not alone.

Right on. I. Get. It.

It is hard to believe that we live in a world where people would feel the need to comment on a person; child or adult, and their looks. From the picture you shared, Charlie looks like a beautiful little baby, and her eye color is gorgeous! I just love it, my daughters eyes are a similar color. I am glad you are raising Charlie to be a strong self accepting and confident person. My daughter has freckles, and one day I caught her trying to scrub them off because someone told her they were gross. We are all different, it is those differences that make us beautiful. If we all looked the same, how boring would that be! Kudos for you for writing this post.

She’s beautiful:) my daughter also has a strawberry birthmark which by 6 months was huge and deep red above her left eye. We saw specialist doctors to check her eye sight etc. we always found people to be very accepting and instilled in her that she was unique and beautiful as she was. By about the age of 3 if anyone asked about it she used to say it’s my special mark. It’s never bothered her and she’s just turned 6 and it now looks like a bruise, get lots of comments about “have she bumped her head” she just simply replies “no it’s my special Mark” we don’t even notice it anymore, it’s just part of her. Thank you for a brilliantly written blog post.

I saw this article on my fox news app and like many many other moms, it is so nice to know someone else is experiencing the same challenges. I hate to even word it like that and I try not to talk about it much because I feel like I’m being unthankful because I know there are far worse things a child can have. My 14 month old has a strawberry on the top of her head. Thankfully I can cover it up with a little high pony when I want to avoid people when shopping.. it is a little bigger than a quarter and is fairly high in my opinion. It has honestly really bummed me that I can’t give my little girl pigtails without seeing this rising in between. I have learned to love it, though at times it strikes pain with me that people won’t simply over look it like I have… anytime her pony falls out I am asked when it will go away or told it looks bigger or etc variations… I just wish people would be more positive. I think I get upset mostly for her sake because I don’t want her to be picked on or talked about for something she can’t help .. thank you for your story.

Hi!
Charlie and I have the same hemangioma just mine in on my right arm. When I was born, it was red and purple, just like Charlie’s, and raised up to the point where my baby clothes had to be cut up just for my arm to fit in. My parents decided not to have it removed and over time it has gone down and lost some of it’s coloring. I was teased mercifully and even had concerned educators intervene believing I was being abused due to coloration. As an adult, I have come to realize that my parent’s decision not to remove my hemangioma was the best decision for me as a human being. It’s a part of who I am and I’ve had to learn to function with it and honestly, I know no other way. Thank you for speaking up and being in Charlie’s corner. From someone who has had this since the day they were born, I can’t thank you enough for speaking up.

I just read the original post and I 100% AGREE WITH ALL OF IT. Those 10 things are the stuff of life in the first few days/weeks after having a baby. Thank you for sharing that. Now about the unkind words – UGH. So obnoxious, so exhausting, so unnecessary. Keep doing what you’re doing. I just found your blog and am loving your posts so far. The 10 lies about Motherhood is another fave too. Love all of it, and so true. That is all for now 🙂

Every human has some imperfections. Some we can clearly see on the outside, others are on the inside, and still others are the soul. Most importantly for each of us is that we love and respect everyone for who the are and not based on what they look like. I am comforted by the fact that this little girl has a wonderful, loving mother who understands the importance of unconditional love. A characteristic we all should strive to obtain and maintain.

Your daughter is beautiful! And you are a great mommy to write this. My husband had a very large hemangioma/port wine stain on his head that his parents had surgically removed when he was little (unsure why they had it removed as they won’t tell us the whole story and we’re unsure if it was more than cosmetic). His hair never grew back in that area and I know he’s self conscious about it and has been asked about it a lot. My daughter had a small strawberry on the top of her head too but it went away by the time she was maybe 15 months. Kiss that beautiful girl and hang in there!

Your daughter is BEAUTIFUL! Little ones can be so resilient and strong it amazes me all the time. Ignore ALL the negative and love on that little lady and her brother likes there’s no tomorrow. My little one developed a Hemangioma when she was just about 2 months old and had to be on Propranolol at 3 months. It developed down where her lady parts were and every time she would wet her diaper or soil it; she would cry! I would worry endlessly and have sleepless nights. Long story short her original pediatric doc said it was nothing until it started to ulcerate and a trip to an ER forced her to give us a referral to a specialist and she was treat and now she is a VERY happy child. Your little girl is BEAUTIFUL and she is very fortunate to be surrounded by those that love her. Anyone who comes across her path will have their life forever changes. You are a great and wonderful mom for sharing your story. LOTS of love to you and your family.

I commented already but I just love that you wrote this my daughter has one on her eye as well and I think i have thought all these same things… You can’t be mad about the curious but sometimes it’s hard not to get upset… You just never want them to hear the comments that some will say… Loved the blog thanks for writing this it’s hard when your beautiful baby is smiling and someone is being negitive… You put in word that I think of but never really know how to explain… Awesome blog!

You’re a great mom, Katie and I commend you for speaking out about this. My oldest daughter developed a hemangioma on her forehead when she was 2 weeks old and it grew to about the size of a quarter and was pretty raised. I can’t tell you how many stares and hurtful comments we received from both strangers and sadly, friends and family. We once had a daycare teacher photo shop her hemangioma out of a picture that she used for a Christmas present that she gave us. As if we were ashamed of the way she looked… My daughter is almost 7 now and her hemangioma is still there, but has faded significantly. People (mostly kids) still ask her every now and again what’s on her face and she simply tells them that it’s a birthmark. She recently told me that she loves her birthmark, that it’s part of her and she doesn’t want it to go away. I couldn’t be more proud. I wish you and your family all the best.

I just need to say this. I have congenital bells palsy (that means i was born without the muscles that usually stop working with bells palsy so the right side of my face is paralyzed). I was bullied. I didn’t conform to everyone’s ideal of beauty. But the ONLY reason I had surgery to “fix” anything was because of issues it caused. I couldn’t blink my eye so it was drying out and could have caused blindness. I couldn’t eat well because of the inability to use a bottle correctly, etc. Yes the bullying bothered be at times. Yes I came home upset and crying on occasion. But my parents constantly reminded me that I was a gift from God and he doesn’t make mistakes. They reminded me of my unique beauty. As a result I had few friends but REAL friends. I’m 24 years old now and still am friends with EVERY friend I had in elementary. And now when my “normal” sisters come home crying because of a bully…I’ve always been able to help them see their worth just like my parents helped me. It’s important to notice that EVERYONE will be bullied at some point, even the “normal” ones. Your baby girl is BEAUTIFUL! She will embrace her uniqueness if you pull her through those hard times. She will gain thise coping skills to use on her own in all aspects of her life. And one da,y if she has children, she will know how to help them overcome insecurities also. Youre doing the right thing. Good job momma!

I felt an automatic connection with you as soon as I read this! My 7 month old too has a strawberry hemangioma on her wrist that is rather large. I get so tired of people mentioning it before anything else comes out of their mouth, not to mention to look of horror on their face as they say “what’s wrong with her hand?” Then when I tell them what it is they say”aww, bless her heart” or, “well maybe it will go away”. Well, I don’t need any “aww, bless her heart” or “maybe it will go away” comments and personally think the pity should be directed to children who are really going through something worth feeling sorry for them about. Children with terminal illnesses or other situations that I could not even imagine. A birth mark is not a curse and it is not affecting her developmentally or affecting her health in any way. I am so thankful that you have taken a stand on this. Hang in there, your daughter is absolutely gorgeous and you are a blessed mommy. I too feel that her birthmark is what makes my baby girl who she is and if it goes away fine and if it doesn’t fine because I know that she is beautiful no matter what.

Katie thank you for sharing your story your daughter is beautiful. It sounds like you have found amazing Drs. to look after her She is blessed to have such a wonderful Mom in her corner. You stay strong ! You know what is best for your little girl. 🙂

That blue romper, OMG! Gorgeous!!

She is soooooo cute. You have a wonderful baby. I will not write too much but just send Charlie Kate,you and your family lots of love from Switzerland !!!!

I do not have a child with hemangioma. Seeing your beautiful child and reading that people have been making comments about her beauty and how it should be covered up, or things in that nature. My first thought, feeling was disgust and what I would have said and done. So after reading your whole story Katie I was inspired by your grace in handling it. No matter what no one NO ONE should ever speak nor think of a child that way. However that’s what’s wrong with the world today. I am glad that you did put your story out into the world. Even better that I was able to read it. You have a beautiful family. No one as you know can tell you different hopefully the other people in the world would mind their keep their negativity to them selves, better yet grow and leave all the miserable negativity behind.

Your daughter is precious. Thanks for sharing your story.
My daughter has a small hemangioma on her wrist and I’m asked about it all of the time. I saw a comment above about not wanting it to go away because it’s part of who she is, and I completely agree with that statement!

I also wanted to share that the size and redness of my daughter’s hemangioma is significantly smaller after treating it topically with a timol maleate solution. The form that the doctor gave me is eye drops meant for treating glaucoma. I didn’t initally care to treat my daughter’s hemangioma since it was not threatening, but the doctor asked if we would consider it so that she could know that it works recommend it for babies who have a more serious hemangioma. I am very pleased with the results and have some photos of before and after. It sounds like your daughter has a great doctor, so of course follow his recommendations.

Have a great day!

She ‘s beautiful.
My daughter had a hemangioma on the arcade. She was treated with propranolol . The hamangiome regressed and can’t be seen when she entry to the school when she was 3 years old. My sympathy to your family. kiss the princess. Claire from France

Congratulations! I’m 26 and I have a big Port Wine Stain in my left cheek since I was born. I think so the most important thing your daughter has to learn is to love herself. People normally is not cruel but they look at the diferences because they are curious. It doesn’t matter. All is in her mind and in her way to understand the world. You are in the best way increasing her self acceptation. When I understood it and I accepted myself my life changed and now i’m so much happier than before 🙂 However, if someday she wants to remove it there are fantastic laser and treatments to improve it. I take it once a year and my stain is so much clearer than it was. I’m not sad whit the stain, I feel it’s a part of me and I really don’t mind it as before. Even a lot of boys fall in love with me and my stain. jajjaj Kepp going with this attitude!

Hi Katie, you have a beautiful baby girl, Charlie has the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve seen! Your little girl is precious and unique, and created in the image of a loving God. People come in all different shapes and sizes, thank goodness. Who cares what people have to say about it? Enjoy your little girl, they grow up before you know it. Don’t let other peoples opinions cast a shadow on this precious time!

I’m glad you wrote this! Like I said, I think a lot of us “hope” to go viral for all the positive reasons you mentioned, but until it happens, you don’t really know what is in store as far as the cons go. This made me rethink things.. and I don’t know if I’m ready to go viral yet (if I ever do). I just started blogging and exposing my soul..and the backlash would probably wither me!! I am glad that you got your story out there though, it’s beautiful and I am so honored to know you and call you a blogger friend! xoxo

Well written and great insight on going viral! Congrats to you and your baby girl!

That was great Katie!

You have a beautiful young lady on your hands. My bride of 35 years has the same issue as your daughter. She was raised by parents who told her it wasn’t what you looked like and more of the person you are. I fell in love with the mind and the soul and love her more today than ever. Thank you for your post and I hope it helps people get over this “have to look perfect” idea. Your daughter is a beautiful little girl.

I’m so happy you wrote this! Especially after talking with you, it’s funny because I was following you and then one day say you on my news feed and was like wait. I follow her, she talks to me and is so sweet. You’re a beautiful mama and I’m so proud of you for being real and honest!

When I was born I had a birthmark on my left eye, from my eyebrow to my eyelid. It was big and puffy and pink. I’ve always called it a raspberry birthmark. My mom got all kinds of comments, even from family members. “She would be the cutest baby, she could win so many of those baby competitions, if she didn’t have the birthmark.”

I was teased in preschool over it. I was called a monster (on countless occasions) by kids my own age, I only ever had one child stand up for me (“no, she’s not a monster. That is totally a pirate’s eye patch and pirates are awesome”), parents wouldn’t let their kids play with me because they thought my birthmark was something their child could “catch”.

When I was about 6, the pink started to go away and the puffiness went down a bit. Now, unless you knew or I tell you, it’s difficult to see my birthmark. It will become very puffy if I am tired or have been crying, if I had been crying it turns a light shade of pink too.

I have never understood why I was made fun of, or why people sad/did the things they did about my birthmark. I was not in any pain. It did not hinder my abilities to be a child, to learn, to love, to live, to just be. I have been so scarred by what people have said. I don’t want that for your child or for anyone else. A birthmark is just that. A mark. A spot. Nothing that can be “caught”, nothing that makes a child look like a monster, nothing to be prayed it goes away over. Your child is so beautiful, her eyes are so blue. She look like she just loves everything. I wish the best for you and your children.

I have replied above with specifics of my daughter’s case, but just did a little research that I would like to share with those who don’t understand hemangiomas and their treatment/management (including “wait and see,” which was the right decision for us):

https://www.vbiny.org/vascular-birthmarks/hemangiomas
This is a great website for general information. Dr. Waner (who reviewed our daughter’s case 15yrs ago) is now Director of this fantastic place.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2884766/
It Is Important to Understand What Treatment Can and, Perhaps Even More Important, Cannot Do for Patients
… parents often believe (or have been told) that lasers will “remove” hemangiomas. However, the flashlamp pulsed-dye laser was designed not for hemangiomas but for port-wine stains and penetrates the skin only about 1.2 mm. Lasers thus do very little for a hemangioma that is raised to any significant degree. … The use of a laser for early, proliferating hemangiomas is controversial because of the potential for promoting ulceration within large, segmental hemangiomas and also, even with smaller, focal hemangiomas, for causing a worse cosmetic outcome (i.e., more scarring, atrophy, and dyschromia) than if the lesion had been left to involute naturally. Surgery is, of course, the only way to remove a hemangioma definitively and is generally a straightforward measure for redundant tissue after some degree of involution has taken place. However, as plastic surgeons well know, the decision to remove an early hemangioma surgically depends on the individual case and can sometimes be difficult, as one must predict whether the resultant scar would be better than the results of natural involution.

I cannot help it, I think Charlie is super cute baby! 🙂

I am a 63 year old man and have one of these covering about 75% of the left side of my face. When I was in school long ago, I was called “Big Chief Redeye” by some of my school mates, and always draw stares and furtive looks from people who are curious, or comments from those that are ignorant or plain insensitive. In my 20s, I received laser treatment at Harvard Univercity, not to remove this, but basically to cauterize the underlying capillaries so the hemangioma would not develop lesions as I grew older and to that extent, the treatment worked though it did not remove it or change its’ appearance.

Regardless, I learned very early on that my difference in appearance could be both a drawback and an advantage in certain situations. I confess that it made me shy around females and negatively affected my self-confidence, however it also made me much stronger of character and determination to succeed. I decided to ignore the fact that it even existed and and live my life as I wanted to. As a result, through sheer determination, will power and hard work, I was able to rise to the very top of my chosen profession, marry and raise a family of three beautiful girls, gain recognition in my community for service towards others and enjoy the company of life-long friends.

Basically what I am saying is that handicaps, of whatever type, are only handicaps if you let them be. If you continue to teach your daughter that she can do and be anything she wants to be, I’m sure that she will grow to realize that the world IS her oyster and her future is whatever she can and will make of it!

I know exactly what you’re going through. My daughter (now 11 years old) had a hemangioma on her right cheek. Although the redness is gone now, she was left with a huge scar. We had a plastic surgeon operate and improve the symmetry of her face, however, the scar is still there. She’s handled it well and she’s a very well adjusted kid. She plays sports, has lots of friends, and just got elected as student council treasurer. She’s a great kid and she’s learned how to handle the questions, stares, comments, etc. I am always supportive of her and do my utmost to build her confidence on a daily basis. As long as you remain strong, she will be strong too. I wish you the best!

Our daughter’s small capillary hemangioma appeared under her right nostril when she was about 4 weeks old. We talked to our pediatrician about it and she told us to expect it to get bigger and redder, which it did. But that it should begin to fade and would hopefully fully resolve by kindergarten. I was also that mom who never tried to hide it or retouch it in photos. It’s part of who she was and we loved and were proud of every last bit of our girl. Kindergarten came and went and her hemangioma was still there. She was never bothered by it and all of her friends were used to it so they never commented on it or anything. So we weren’t concerned about it. At the end of last year she came to my husband and I and said she wanted to see about having it removed. When we asked her why she said she was honestly just tired of people in public either asking us about it or just staring. We discussed it with our pediatrician, a dermatologist, and ultimately found ourselves meeting with the head of plastic surgery at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.
Well here we are now 2 weeks and 3 days postop from having what was left of her hemangioma removed. Oh let me tell you how I cried the night before her surgery. Part of those tears were due to fear of my baby’s first ever surgery but the overwhelming majority were simply tears of sadness that I would never see “this” face again. “This” sweet face I’ve looked at every day for nearly the last 8 years. My husband and I talked about how much we would miss her hemangioma because it’s always been a part of her. I was so scared to see her after surgery because she wouldn’t look like my Lizzie anymore. Well she came through surgery like a champ (thanks be to God) and guess what… she’s still my Lizzie. Thanks for bringing awareness to the hemangioma family community. I wish nothing but the best for you and your sweet little girl.

As a parent (and human being for that matter) I agree with you. Your daughter is special and this shouldn’t define her, or even be noticed or commented on every time someone sees her…BUT…the world is an unfair place, and many people are superficial and cruel. The unfortunate fact is that her life will be harder with this, and while that may “build character”, I couldn’t see putting my child through that without trying to help. It’s sad and as much as we wish the world wasn’t this way, it is (just look at all the hateful people supporting Trump!).

Soon after my daughter was born, we discovered what looked like a bruise on the ball of her foot that was diagnosed as a hemangioma. This was in the 1960’s and not much was known about hemangiomas. I was told to just observe it and to let her lead a normal life; barefoot in the summer and all. It slowly grew and by the time she was 4 years old it was causing her enough pain that she developed a limp. The nation’s only hemangioma clinic was meeting that summer in San Francisco. I took her to the clinic and it was decided surgery was necessary. No guarantees were given as to whether or not it would return after removal. The surgery took much longer than had been anticipated. Afterwards, the surgeon explained to me they found a blood vessel the diameter of a #2 pencil feeding the hemangioma. If she had cut her foot running barefoot all those summers he said it would have been a medical emergency. Her hemangioma, which had first appeared when she was about a week old, did return, but she has chosen to live with it for 50+ years. Yes, it still bothers her and she stays away from wearing heels, but she’s happy and has made the decision not to seek further treatment unless it should do something unexpected. I was very young, didn’t know much about the medical field, and the internet hadn’t been invented yet.

Charlie is adorable, and I am so happy for you and the others who have written about their experiences regarding hemangiomas. You are an informed group of women who have access to the data and to the physicians who treat your children. I am exceptionally pleased to know there are now medications that are so very helpful. So much is now possible.

I believe Charlie is a very lucky young lady to have a mom who is so wise. You will guide her and strengthen her and celebrate her life as no mom was equipped to do 50 years ago. All of you mothers, keep up the good work. Every child is precious.

She is beautiful. You are beautiful. I am beautiful. Thanks for the reminder.

i’ve had mine for fifty-three years, and this may be the first time I’ve seen an article about it. So informative, and filled with such care.

Thank you for giving me a place to belong in a whole new way. I’m sharing your words with my very loving parents.

Thank you for sharing our little top! I love all the pieces and shops!!! I too tend to wear mostly neutrals 🙂

How have I not heard of the NASA app? I basically live down the street from NASA itself! Haha. But you’re so right – the quality of apps are so important. Kennedy loves Endless Reader and she has begun to start asking me how to spell words.

I actually wrote a similar post recently with three other ways to use muslin swaddles!
http://mistyblueblogs.com/2015/10/review-reveal-with-oliver-plus-kit.html
they’re so versatile, and SO soft!

I love these ideas! The succulents are definitely my favorite, though! And “you dont suck-ulent” kills meeeee

These are all so cute! My sister is a teacher and I’m sure she would love all of these!!

Love this story and love you. Gorgeous jewellery!!

Very pretty!!! Is the mug, red bowls, and cow creamer from the Pioneer Woman collection found at Walmart????

I love all of these things! And that camera is so cute! I’ll have to check it out! This really would be a perfect Mother’s Day gift for a new mom!

This looks like loads of fun with really great snacks. You’re such a fun mom! [client]

Great list! 19 and 25

Thinking of this family and all the healing ahead of them. <3

Amen. Well said friend.

Tyler’s the shit. Crying all the tears reading this. In a really good way! Happy G and C have such an awesome Dad that’s present in every way!

To use a “Southernism”, Tyler was “brought up right”, and obviously has strong family values and a very admirable moral compass. Good Lord, you are so blessed to have this wonderful man as a husband and life adventurer, but then again, he has an extraordinary wife! Loved, loved, loved the pictures! Your children’s faces reflect the total love showered on them. Happy Father’s Day to Tyler. Happy Life to you all.

Well said Darlin! I love you very much.

This product scares me. I believe that some parents may use this as a way to help prevent SIDS, meaning they may place their baby in tummies to sleep, relying on this monitor to let them know that baby is still breathing. I try to educate all I can about safe sleep but with this being in baby aisles in the stores this may overrule as a peace of mind.

I’ve never heard “food before one is just for fun.”
What a good phrase!
My son really fought solids and did until he was 3- it was awful!
But I look at what he’ll eat now- I can’t think of much he’ll reject.
So although my next child I may WANT to eat solids sooner I’ll just let her lead the way 🙂

Makes me sick to my stomach 🙁 it’s important that you say something and stand behind what you believe. Your blog is the perfect platform and so many people will understand and agree.

Great post Katie. Thank you for speaking out on this issue! The more people do the more something HAS to be done!

I’m proud to call you my friend and I truly want to thank you for posting this! I don’t think I could have said it any better.

I disagree and feel as though you did not do your research at all. You are saying that people who are Black are treated worse than those that are white or that they are targeted. However, more police brutality and deaths have occurred against Caucasians than black people – You are right – it is an outrage, but just because the black community is demanding Justice and they are all over the news screaming and crying for justice does not mean that you have it right. You should research more – http://newobserveronline.com/far-more-whites-killed-by-us-police/ 502 Whites killed vs 250 black and 163 Hispanic / Latino… If you had then you would have seen the horrible killing of Kelly Thomas – who was screaming and crying for his father while the police beat him to death. https://whythetruth.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/the-cowardly-killing-of-kelly-thomas/ It’s not that Black Lives Matter – or All Lives Matter – but do not glorify the thugs like Trayvon and Mr. Brown… They were in the wrong and you would know that if you had really done your research.

Good Job for standing up for something – you are right about one thing – Something does need to change.

You are rockin’ these white dresses, mama!! I’m always terrified of wearing white because so many are see-through, but this one looks amazing! Plus wraps make it easier for nursing 🙂 Love!

pretty hopeful that this will work

This was beautiful! I love this campaign’s mission! Heading off to send a virtual coffee gift card now as I wipe the tears from my eyes!