Miah Makes a splash and a word on Mongolian Spots

As I was snapping pictures and taking video yesterday to put on this blog I suddenly I realized that some people might wonder if Miah has had a fall or been hurt. Please rest assured she has not. Miah has Mongolian spots, and she has them extensively on her back, arms, legs and bottom. They are not in any way physically harmful and are suppose to fade in time. They are purple in color and look like bruises and in fact are a sort of birth mark.It is common to find Mongolian spots with Children in cultures with darker pigmentation and if you are adopting from China you should read up on them. In the video I make a comment that Miah's spots are beautiful to me and they are but I must tell you when I first saw them I was a little shocked. You see I had only really heard very little about them and to my understanding they would only be two to three inches in size and maybe two or three on the baby. Now when I changed Miah it took me a moment to realize that her shoulders and back and almost her entire bottom are covered with purple Mongolian spots... not bruises. In the time that we have been home her spots have raised many questions among children and the bold and many raised eyebrows among others especially now that summer is almost here and she is wearing sleeveless shirts. If you adopt a child with Mongolian spots please make sure your pediatrician notes them in his/her medical file. Also if possible let any one such as Family, Friend or caretakers know about the spots before you leave your child with them or even change their clothes or Diaper in front of them. This will save you a lot of time explaining later and may save you from a call to a social worker. I have a couple of really good friends who I had not told about Miah's spots and I went to change her and they gasped... Loudly and then looked horrified. I felt really bad and kind of out like I needed to reassure them that Miah had not been beaten, not that they would ever think I or my DH would hurt her. To me Miah's Mongolian Spots are beautiful, they are a part of her that makes her who she is. Now when I see them I smile, but I also know that it is important to make sure others who may not understand become aware. Please Enjoy the clip and if you have any questions feel free to let me know... Oh and I will be putting a photo up of Miah with a better view of her back but not until I get this password protected ... Which is coming soon...