Dear Wade

Wade,

We found out today that you will be having your very first surgery...and, although Daddy tells me not to be worried, I cannot help it...I am your Mama for crying out loud! You will be having tubes put into both of your ears and your adenoids removed...who needs them anyway?? We have been listening you closely over the past couple of months, watching your little mouth struggle to get the right sound out, when forming a word. We know that you understand everything going on and that you are a super intelligent little guy...but the way that you articulate your words, has just not been sitting right with me. It is almost as though you are speaking muffled...like you are hearing muffled. So, I of course go directly into worried Mama mode and start thinking that you are having hearing issues. I study the way your mouth moves, hoping that maybe, you are just not able to pronounce words correctly. I even start peeking around corners, whispering your name, testing your hearing, hoping and praying that your ears are as perfect as the rest of you. And you pass with flying colors, but I continue to explore your language, asking Ms. Sara and Ms. Mandy and Ms. Kim, hoping that they will reassure me that you are right on track...but they have been keeping an eye on your language skills as well...

I decided to call Dr. Boole/Dr. Skinner's office...local Audiologist and ENT, to do a hearing test and to check out your adenoids and make sure everything is working correctly. Well, we found out today that you have lots of fluid behind both of your ears, causing you to hear as though you are under water. I almost broke down in tears during the hearing test, as I could not imagine you having anything wrong with your perfect little self. Well, nothing is majorly wrong, but they did find that you will have to have a "Bilateral Myringotomy Tubes" surgery, which means tubes put in your ears to drain the fluid, and that you will need to have your HUGE adenoids removed on July 15th. (Daddy, Uncle Scott and Uncle Dave have all had tubes, so it must be a right of passage in our family!) Both Doctor's are confidant that as soon as you wake up from the surgery, you will be a different kiddo in the language department. I am excited to see what the future holds for you sweet boy. Hopefully this will be an easy bump in the road for you (and on me and Daddy), in the journey we call life. I love you more than you will ever know!!

Love, Mama