Brave Face Kids Books

Smile Train asked: “What do you want the world to know about cleft lip and palate?” Ava really nailed it. 🩷 Cleft may look different — but the abilities, the joy, the beauty? All the same. She’s been saying it in her own way since she was little enough to inspire a book about it — turns out Ava the Brava had it right all along.

I wrote a whole children’s book about being brave for moments like this one — and here she is, living it. A cleft diagnosis can feel so overwhelming at first, but it’s the bravery that ends up defining the story. 📖🩷 Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month reminder: bravery isn’t the absence of nerves, it’s showing up anyway.

The social side of school has always been one of my biggest worries as a cleft parent.

Not the grades. Not the homework.

The friendships.
The belonging.
The feeling of being accepted exactly as you are.

So when my cleft-affected daughter burst into tears on the last day because she didn’t want this “amazing” school year to end, it eased fears I didn’t even realize I was still holding onto.

What a gift it is to watch your child feel so loved, so included, and so happy that they’re devastated it’s over. 💖

It’s Cleft Awareness Week. This is what the journey looks like — and why awareness matters. 💜

9 years in, and we’re starting a new phase of her cleft journey.

When she was a baby, we carried her through appointments and made every decision for her.
Now she walks in, asks questions, and understands what’s happening in her own body.

This season looks different—less about surgeries, more about growth, guidance, and long-term care.

We’re also stepping into a new chapter with a different orthodontic team after years with CHLA—because as she grows, her needs (and our choices) grow too.

Cleft care isn’t one moment. It grows with them.

And now, she’s growing right alongside it. 💛

We’ve all been there