My name is Gena Geyser. I am currently a stay-at-home-mom and my husband Dean is security manager for Time Warner Cable. We live in Milwaukee, WI.

Our son Caleb was born in April of 2008 with a chromosome disorder. In laymen's terms, "a partial duplication on long arm of chromosome 10". He is approximately 2-1/2 years old.

The specific detail given to us reads "10q11.21q.23.1 duplication" or "46,XY,dup(10)(q11.21q23.1)".

The ultrasounds during the pregnancy were showing a possible issue with this heart (coarctation of the aorta) so we were preparing for him to have heart surgery after birth by delivering at Froedert / Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. We were told we wouldn't know more until he was able to have his own ultra-sound once born. He was breech and due the heart issue, inverting him was not an option so we were scheduled for a c-section.

He was born at 8:41am at 7 pounds 1 oz and 20.5" long. I was able to see him for about 10 seconds before he was taken away for his evaluation. At noon, we were informed he would not need heart surgery but that he was born with an imperforated anus and would need surgery the following day. We were finally able to see him around 3pm in the NICU.

Eventually we were approached by genetics and informed of the anomalies he was born with. In addition to the imperforated anus, he has accessory nipples, pitting on the backside of his earlobes and a short tongue. Some of his facial features apparently fit with his disorder as well, but his appearance seemed normal. We were informed from the info known was that he would be small and slow with a possibility of mild mental retardation. Being overwhelmed with all this information, there wasn't much that could be done yet. He was in the NICU for 10 days due to a lack of eating on his own.

Caleb did not attend day care until 5 months old. He was beginning to roll over at approximately 7 months. He continued to roll for a long time before beginning to crawl; army style, and eventually on hands and knees. These events were so gradual; it is difficult to determine a time frame.

At 1 year, Caleb was not quite sitting and that was a concern from the daycare. I was announcing that we were pregnant again. We had our genetics processed and found out that it was not hereditary and eventually the current pregnancy was completely normal. Baby brother Benjamin was born 12/26/2009 at 8 pounds 10oz and 22 inches long. Currently the boys are in the same size diaper (3). Caleb wears a size 5 shoe and Ben is wearing size 4.

Caleb is still wearing 18 months pants and 24 month/2T shirts. The pants are getting short, but he is so skinny that his pants will fall off if I try to have him wear his 24 month pants. At the end of August, I measured his height at 34.5 inches. At the end of September, his weight was approx 25 lbs.

Caleb's growth and development is slow. He did double his weight by 6 months old, but after that he has been in the 5th percentile for his weight.

He eventually began to sit, pull up, stand and cruise. He was walking without assistance at 25 months.

At some point he was trying to speak 'mama' and 'grandpa', but that stopped and he still doesn't talk but he is learning some sign language.

He used to arch his back all the time, but we rarely see that these days.

He cut his first teeth at 8 months old (two bottom front) and didn't cut anymore for almost a year, which were his front top. A few months later, about 2 years old, he was cutting molars as well.

He was always a good eater and will eat anything; however, he went through a phase where he would chew and store it in the roof of his mouth. Changing textures and temperatures would assist with his swallowing (i.e.: crackers, pudding).

He has had digestive problems. At 7 weeks old, at his follow-up appt for his anal surgery (on a Thurs), they discovered he had a hernia. Since the hernia was in the groin region, he needed surgery ASAP (scheduled for the following Monday). He ended up have 2 hernias removed. He currently remains on Miralax. We have been instructed to have him see a GI doctor.

We currently have him in the "Birth to Three" program provided by our county and will begin early/special education in school at 3 years old.

Gena