Am I There, Yet?

I took Lydia to the doctor today.  She’s doing really great.  She’s gaining weight and developing very nicely.  However, I was concerned about a bump on her head that showed up a few weeks ago and has grown instead of going away.  It looks like a blood blister.  The doctor told me she has a Strawberry Hemangioma.  I, of course, immediately did some internet research the moment I got home.  That may be a good thing…or a bad thing.

Here’s what I discovered (by asking my doctor questions and doing some internet research):

A Strawberry Hemangioma is a birthmark more commonly found in female babies with light skin.  It’s a cluster of blood vessels and is technically a tumor…although it’s not cancerous.  They grow and grow until they plateau and shrink.  This could take seven to nine years.  Fortunately, Lydia’s strawberry is on her head and not face.  I was O.K. with all this information until I did a google image search of this condition and these birthmarks can get HUGE.  You can go ahead and google image “strawberry hemangioma” to take a peek…but, it’s not pretty. 

I’m soaking all this in.  I’m glad it’s a minor thing and won’t affect her development.  She’s so beautiful to me and will continue to be beautiful…even with a growth on her head.  I’m not going to get worked up about the “maybes.”  I don’t know how large this thing will grow, so I can’t let my mind go there.  Plus, it’s on her head, so by the time it does subside, her hair will cover any residual scar.  I guess my concern comes from what other people will say to her or about her.  How big will it be when she’s in school and what will her peers say to her about it?  I can’t ask myself those questions, yet.  We’ll just have to wait and see and take it one day at a time.

Here’s a picture of Lydia with her “strawberry.”  It’s still small right now.  You’ll notice it on the top of her head:

Yesterday we went to the city because…um…well…I can’t really think of a reason.  We went to NYC because we can.  I just wanted to share some pictures from our day.

First of all we went to FAO Schwarz and goofed off:

We went to Serendipity 3 for lunch and had some of their famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate:

Then we went crazy at Dylan’s Candy Bar:

After that we went and chilled out at Central Park.  We hung out on the lawn and played with Lydia, we explored the park, the kids rode the Central Park Carousel (it’s been there since 1871!) and we rode a horse and carriage.

After all that, we had to go to Times Square to eat at ESPN Zone.  I know, I know…there are probably thousands of restaurants in Manhattan alone…and we always seem to go to the same one.  My husband, whom I adore, is a creature of habit.  He was such a good sport when it came to doing all the things the kids wanted to do that he deserved dinner at ESPN Zone.

It was a fun day.

Happy 4th of July!!!