Microform Cleft Lip

I just found out that Fred has a minor cleft lip. I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Duh, I could have told you that." Here's the thing, I noticed it the first time I held him and we asked the doctors about it. The pediatrician on duty said he'd never seen it before, checked him out and told us that everything (palate, lip) was formed but we could probably smooth out the ridge when he is older if we wanted. I also asked his pediatrician at following visits. No one ever told me it was a cleft until his third visit with the pediatrician here in Idaho. She asked me who fixed his cleft lip. When I told her that nothing was fixed, he was just born like that she said that it was a cleft lip and recommended a surgeon. Insurance covers it.

Yesterday was the consultation with the surgeon. he said it is a microform cleft. From wikipedia:

A mild form of a cleft lip is a microform cleft. A microform cleft can appear as small as a little dent in the red part of the lip or look like a scar from the lip up to the nostril. In some cases muscle tissue in the lip underneath the scar is affected and might require reconstructive surgery. It is advised to have newborn infants with a microform cleft checked with a craniofacial team as soon as possible to determine the severity of the cleft.

Basically, it is a cleft lip that decided to fuse together just in time. They are usually fixed at about three months. The doctor said he can make it look better--take away the peak on his lip and smooth out the ridge.

Here's the thing--actually, there are a few things.

1. I'm not bothered by it.

2. But maybe Fred will be one day.

"..children with clefts tend to report more dissatisfaction with peer relationships and higher levels of social anxiety. Experts conclude that this is probably due to the associated stigma of visible deformities and speech abnormalities, if present. Children who are judged as attractive tend to be perceived as more intelligent, exhibit more positive social behaviors, and are treated more positively than children with cleft lip and or cleft palate.[15] Children with clefts tend to report feelings of anger, sadness, fear, and alienation from their peers. Yet these children were similar to their peers in regard to "how well they liked themselves."

Maybe I'm just biased but i don't think Fred's is drastic enough to make him 'different'.

3. We can get it fixed anytime. We don't have to do it now. But we have insurance now.

4. Fred would have to take it easy for ten days after the surgery.

TEN DAYS.

TAKING IT EASY!

I don't even know if that is possible. All throughout the visit Stella and Fred were hugging (which usually results in falling over and wrestling), playing choo choo train, climbing around the room, etc. The doctor recommended shipping Stella off for a week. He said we could have a grandma come stay with us (both grandmas are pretty busy) but that doesn't eliminate the sibling play dynamic. I'm not sure how Stella would do away from the family, by herself. Summer would be better when I could send Chloe with her.

I just don't know if it is worth the hassle (and deductible). I would love to know what everyone thinks.

fyi: Joaquin Phoenix has a microform cleft.

Ken's a Playuh

I was cleaning the playroom while Chloe and Stella were playing with Barbies. I heard Chloe say, "Everyone who hasn't had a chance to sleep with the prince, get in line."

I asked, "Sleep with the prince?"

"Yeah, each girl gets a turn sleeping with the prince one at a time."

"Like a sleepover?"

"Uh...kinda. And some of the other Barbies are babysitters for the little kids."

"Why do they need babysitters?"

"They (the prince and princess) just don't want their kids around."

Huh. I'm still trying to figure this one out.

Apple Picking

Chanell took the preschool kids on a field trip to an apple orchard.

This is what Fred and Stella were doing when they were supposed to be getting in their car seats. Gloves. Johnny Appleseed.

Worm. I was trying to get the kids to pose for a picture. But Fred saw something SO EXCITING!
A tractor.
This is how I found Fred after his nap.

September

After all the traveling we did in August I didn't want to go anywhere for a long time. But we left the very next weekend. Cousin Ethan was getting baptized on Labor Day weekend. So I packed the kids up again (leaving Dan behind) and traveled 11 hours to St. George. I didn't get any pictures of the baptism but I documented their favorite things--swimming and cousins.

Chloe, Ethan, Sara
Dan did an xterra triathlon (mtn. bike & trail run).
I would like to point out that Dan's head is round, Dalls' is oval and Kyle's is square.
Dress up.
Dresses. Pioneer hats. Capes.

Corn maze.

The first photo is of Chloe and Fred waiting for a ride that would never happen because after the photo I found out it cost $2/kid. But the petting zoo was free.

Some Injuries

August:

Fred was wounded and had to get a staple in his head. The doctor said, "Hold him tight, this is going to hurt." Fred merely winced. I'm not going to detail what happened but you can watch the following movie for a hint.

September:

My pedal fell off my bike during a triathlon. This is what I was thinking:

Maybe I can pull out of it.

Nope.

Asphalt.

Thank you, helmet. (As my head hit the ground.)

"Ow. Ouch. Oh." Repeated many times over the next half hour.

DNF.

RIP helmet and shifters. Also damaged, knee, hip, shin, knuckle.

On the mend. I think this is the stage from which road rash gets its name. It was very itchy.

October:

This is Stella's finger. This injury is significant for two reasons.

1. It happened right after the long process of picking out fabric at Joann's. Right as I was ready to checkout Stella came crying to me. Still not sure how it happened.

2. I went straight from Joann's to the instacare where I spent an hour trying to keep Fred from getting into things he shouldn't and then was sent home with a bandaid. That turned out to be a very expensive bandaid.