No Surgery! (not now anyway)

Alina had her appointment at the cranio-facial center this morning. What was supposed to be a 1/2 day event was over after one quick look in her mouth. The plastic surgeon does not think that any surgery is indicated right now. The small hole between her upper lip and gum does not pose a health risk and would only need to be closed if it bothers her socially (chocolate milk dripping out of your nose at the lunch table is enough to put a damper on anyone's social life) but I really don't think it will be an issue. When she is 6 or 7 she will definitely need a bone graft in her gum line so that the permanent teeth can come in. And she will likely need braces. In terms of her nose, which is a little asymmetrical, he feels it is best to wait until she is older since her face will change so much as she grows. Personally, I think her nose is adorable, but we are trying to anticipate how she will feel about it during those oh-so-traumatic teen years. By the way, the echo-cardiogram came back negative (praise God!). According to the blood tests, she will have to re-do almost all of her immunizations. Apparently they do not preserve the vaccines well in China (at least in her orphanage), so often they end of giving the kids "duds". She is slightly anemic but we are giving her a multi-vitamin now and trying to push iron-rich foods (my true Midwestern husband is happily consuming the red meat that is finding its way to the dinner table more often these days). What all of this means is that I think that we can officially declare Alina to be a healthy toddler!