Peanut’s Smile

Brendon and I know people who were born with cleft lips and/or palates, but I truly was in the dark about how and why it happens, how it affects a baby’s day-to-day life, and what surgeries look like. I want to provide education to others who, like us, were at a loss about clefts. A cleft lip is an opening or gap in the upper lip that can range from a small notch to a larger opening that extends into the nose. A cleft palate involves an opening in the roof of the mouth (the palate), which can affect the front (hard palate), the back (soft palate), or both. These conditions can vary in severity and may affect how a baby eats, speaks, and sometimes even breathes. Essentially, it’s a hole or a spot where the tissues didn’t fully join together during development. The hardest part of the diagnosis is that the exact cause isn’t always known. Sometimes it’s connected to a larger issue, like a chromosomal abnormality, but often it’s just an isolated defect. I’ve included an infographic that gi...

Welcome to my little corner of the internet!   Hi, I’m McKaela! I’m so glad you’re here, whether you’re family, a friend, or someone who simply stumbled upon this space. This blog is where I share my raw, unfiltered thoughts and feelings as we navigate our journey with a cleft baby. It’s a place where I hope to connect, inform, and maybe even inspire those who are walking a similar path—or simply want to learn more about it.   You might notice I refer to my baby as "Peanut" throughout my posts. Before we knew his gender or shared the news with others, we called him Peanut—a sweet, simple nickname that stuck and carries so much love and meaning for us.   This blog is deeply personal, and every word comes straight from my heart. Thank you for taking the time to read, support, and walk this road with us. I hope you find connection, understanding, and maybe even a little hope here.   Welcome to Peanut’s story and our journey!