Update on Benjamin

Ben had his appointment with the Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor on April 6th. He saw Dr. Yin from East Valley ENT which is located on Baseline/West of Greenfield. First he had his hearing checked. An audiologist made different sounds into speakers and if Ben turned toward the sound then lights would flash and a Mickey Mouse would dance. It was cute. He passed the hearing test fine although the audiologist did say he had a harder time hearing the low pitched sounds which is common for someone who has chronic fluid behind their ears. Ben had fluid behind his left ear that day and Dr. Yin said the right ear looked prone to fluid. Also in a different test they did Ben's eardrums didn't vibrate as they would have liked to see. Dr. Yin said they usually watch kids for 3 months but since our pediatrician already watched us for a month, and since it sounds like Ben has had an issue with fluid since he was 5 months, we've scheduled a surgery to have the tubes put in. It was kind of scary signing the paper work where it talks about life threatening side effects from the anesthesia and the 1% chance that the hole won't close right or that Ben's hearing could be permantly affected. But I know many a kid before Ben has gone through this. They said the surgery itself only takes 3-5 minutes and that he will be put to sleep with a gas mask. He will have both ears done and the surgery is scheduled for the morning of April 28th.

We saw Dr. Steve from San Tan Pediatric Dental (located in Copper Basin off of Hunt Highway) on April 7th. Both the dentist and myself were pretty sure that Ben's 2 teeth on either side of the top middle teeth weren't going to be there. Apparently my mom never got those 2 teeth, even her adult teeth, - she has fake ones there. Dr. Steve also said that it wasn't uncommon to be missing those teeth. But, after a crooked x-ray that only showed the right side of the top row of teeth, it looks like Ben does have a tooth there. Dr. Steve thinks though that the one tooth IS missing and the tooth we are seeing is a double of the tooth beside it. Yeah, I don't get it. I had him explain it to me twice and I still don't understand why he thinks that. Basically it might come down and take the other tooth's place or it might not. He wants us to come back in 3 months to try and get a better x-ray so we can see if things are the same on the left side. He thinks they will be but also commented that there isn't enough space on the left side for a tooth to come down. Worse case scenario teeth are stuck up there and he will have to go in and bring them down so the permanent teeth can come in. What really matters is the permanent teeth and whether they are there or not which we won't be able to do anything about until he is 6 or 7. So something gentically/developmentally did go wrong and maybe we'll have more answers in July.Ben has been so different than my other kids. He liked to play in the toilet and the trash can when he was younger. He is a thrower (he's broken many things), has an ear piercing scream, and can throw an all out on the floor kicking tantrum. I've taped up so many lift the flap books that he's ripped. We call him the destroyer or often say that he is in destructo mode. The amazing thing to me though is that he will actually go upstairs and play with the toys...by himself! The others always had to have me around. I also had a tendency to not want to leave them alone. I felt the need to interact with them and wanted to control the mess they were making. But even after I would get them involved with something they wouldn't have it if I tried to leave. Also they are more into imagination and playing house and kitty and who knows what then playing with toys. There have been several times when I've almost given all the toys away and if it hadn't been for my babysitting kids or friends that would come over and play with them I probably would have. But Ben will just wander up stairs and play and look at books (I've hidden all the lift the flaps Ü) forever. I love it!! He loves, loves, loves books! He also loves to go outside in the backyard with his sister and brothers and I don't feel the need to be out there with him every second. It is so nice! I've just had to get used to the mess. He discovered a way to play the keyboard.

He will be 20 months on Thursday.

He said his first sentence last week. He pointed to a balloon and said, "Boon, MaMa."

He's so stinkin' cute!

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Wow!  Poor little (did I say Little?) Ben!  Shauna had tubes put in her ears.  One of the holes closed on its own and the other required what they call tympanoplasty to get it closed.  She never had any problems after that.  Ben is definitely a cutie!!  Also, sorry to hear about the tooth problems. ~ Aldine Allen