Like the rest of the country, the Brown family of TLC’s Sister Wives has been stuck inside due to coronavirus.
Third wife Christine has spent her isolation time with daughter Maddie, her son-in-law Caleb Brush, and their two kids, Axel, 2, and Evangalynn, 6 months.
The Brown family famously has a non-traditional family structure; Kody Brown is married to Christine, plus Janelle, Meri, and Robyn. Maddie is Janelle’s biological daughter, but the kids consider all four wives their moms.
Maddie and Caleb were married in 2016.
They’re not a polygamist couple and have publicly spoken about their plans to not follow Maddie’s parents’ lead. They welcomed Axel, the first grandchild of the Brown family, in May 2017, and Evangalynn last August.
Axel and Evangalynn call Christine “Oma” (German for “grandma”), and Christine is relishing her role as a grandparent.
Documenting family time
Christine has posted photos over the past few days showing fans how much she’s enjoying her time with the Brushes.
Christine, along with her youngest daughter, Truely Grace, has loved catching up with the family.
In a photo posted on Monday, Truely, 9, plays on the carpet with her baby niece Evangalynn. Christine said that the kids are having fun “staying inside, playing games, dancing, mauling each other. The usual!”
Axel and Evangalynn are also enjoying time with their aunt and Oma.
Christine said that the little ones were excited to play with Truely as soon as she woke up and that staying inside with them has been “magical.”
Evangalynn was born with a rare condition
For fans who closely follow the Brown family, the pictures serve as a welcome confirmation of baby Evangalynn’s health.
Evangalynn, also called Evie, was born with an extremely rare condition called FATCO syndrome, which affects the development of the limbs.
Evie is missing several fingers, a toe, and her fibula (the bone in the leg behind the tibia, or shinbone). She also had abnormalities of the tibia, forearm, and other fingers.
While Evie’s FATCO diagnosis was scary at first for Maddie and Caleb, they were relieved to find out that Evie’s prognosis is very good. She is perfectly healthy aside from her limb differences.
Limb conditions are fairly common- they affect as many as 1 in 2000 newborns — but FATCO syndrome is quite rare.
In fact, there are fewer than 10 recorded cases in the world like Evie’s. To Maddie and Caleb, that just makes their daughter “all the more special.”
Here’s to wishing the Brown and Brush families continued good health and happiness.
Sister Wives airs on Sundays at 10/9c on TLC.