Abby speech sample, April 2010

This is speech sample from April, 5 2010. We had been working on the "f" sound and reading "The Foot Book." Pardon the really crappy video quality. This was the last pic/video/anything that I ever took with this camera. I really thought it was going to die in the first few seconds, but I ended up getting a lot.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

happy hearing birthday, abby!

Yesterday was Abby's one-year cochlear implant hearing birthday and I completely missed it! For some reason I had it in my head that it was August 26th and not the 24th. Oh well! We'll celebrate it today!

I have been so, so bad about getting speech samples this year, and now that a whole year has passed I truly regret not having anything to look back on. We have tests galore, but not much in way of video or audio. The progress that she has made in a year has been nothing short of miraculous. We have worked hard, her teachers, audiologists and therapists have worked hard, but it is Abby's determination, desire and hard work that has contributed the most to her progress. I am so proud of her!

I have full faith that she will be able to go to regular public school next year and be mainstreamed in a general kindergarten class. We have lots to work on this year, but she is getting so close, and our teachers and therapists are very optimistic.

So happy CI birthday, Abby! We love you and we're proud of you!

Guess what?

It's going to be under 100 degrees this week! Low 90's to be exact!

So in celebration, I'm offering an

UNDER 100 SALE*

45 minute photo session
20 digital negatives on CD
only $75!!!

I have only a few slots open for this special:

Wednesday, August 25th 7:00-7:45pm

Thursday, August 26th, 8:45am-9:30am

Friday, August 27th, 8:45am-9:30am


*Sale is only good for the dates and times listed above
*Sale does not apply to families of 5 or more.

dear blog,

.
.
I've been cheating on you with Facebook.

You were my first, and I'll always come back to you, but in those moments when I just want to write one little thing, Facebook is the one. I'm sorry... But only a little.

Friend me if you want to know what I'm doing on a daily basis!

Love,

Me

first day of school

Today Abby and Carter both went to school. I dropped Carter off first and only had one solitary moment when I felt like crying. But he did so well and didn't even seem to notice when I left. Then I took Abby to her class, hung out there for a few minutes and then slipped out as they were starting circle time.



...And then I spent the next two hours wasting time in Plano waiting on the go ahead to pick up a part for our broken car a/c and take it to the shop. But locating a single switch from a Kia dealer and getting a hold of our "reliable" mechanic was easier said than done. (Its a really long story.) So I made the 20 minute trek home at 10:30am in a hot car with no hopes that the car would be fixed today. And then I had to go pick up the kids in the heat of the day with no air conditioning. I was in the car for over an hour and I thought I was going to DIE. And looking back at the kids with their sweaty beet red faces made me so sad! I don't know how people did it back in the days of no a/c.

But despite the middle section of the day, it all went really well! Abby loves her new teacher and had a lot of fun, and Carter (who I've been kinda worried about) did so good and actually took a nap in school. wait.... I think I hear angels singing....

sometimes

Most days I'm okay with this whole hearing loss thing. I mean, its been a part of our lives now for three years and has become commonplace. But there are some days, sometimes just small moments, when my heart aches for Abby and Carter to hear normally. Today has been especially hard.

revealing

So Abby has had an ear infection in her HA ear for four days now and she has not worn her hearing aid since the start of the infection. I guess I never really noticed how much better she hears when she has both her hearing aid and her CI in, because she wears them both religiously and we haven't worked her CI independently in a really long time. But now it is painfully obvious, and its a little discouraging. I have to repeat things two or three times for her to understand me, she almost always wants to look at me when I talk so she can read my lips (which I don't want her to become dependent on) and in loud situations where she normally copes really well, she can't even make out me yelling at her.

We celebrate her one year CI hearing birthday later this month, and I can't believe how quickly it has passed, and how extremely well she has done with her implant. But the past few days has really made me realize that we're not out of the woods yet. She has so much more to learn, and there will come a day when she will lose the hearing completely in her right ear and she will no longer have that hearing to rely on. All of that makes me sad and I don't want to think about it. But with this new revelation, I am determined to help her feel confident when hearing in any and every situation. With her hearing aid or not, with one good ear or two, we will help her to be as happy and successful as possible.

But I really can't wait till that ear infection goes away!

New

I added a new picture to Abby's picture page for anyone bored enough to look. :) Click on the "Abby's Art" button in the right column.

nostalgic

I'm feeling a little nostalgic today, thinking about how much my little boy has grown up. Maybe its that his hair is long enough where it doesn't lay down flat anymore, or maybe its his exploding vocabulary and interest in everyone around him. He isn't afraid to walk up to a stranger and ask them what their name is, much to my proud dismay. (is it possible to be dismayed and proud at the same time??)

Anyway, I had to look back at some pictures and see how much he's changed, and oh my gosh. Baldy chubs is totally gone. He's now a lean, tan little surfer boy with white hair and a mean set of abs. I miss old Carter, but love the boy he's becoming.

wordless wednesday

two pictures from galveston

that's all for now

family portrait

I don't even remember the last time we've had a family picture taken. So while we were in Galveston Matt took a few shots of us. This was our best one. I think we need more practice at this family portrait thing.



Anyway, we had an absolutely fabulous, relaxing time in Galveston and I wish we could go back once a month or something. I have pictures, just no time to post them. :)

well half of you were right...

It's a BOY!

Now we just have to think of a name.

blessed

Abby (as usual) asked to say prayer at dinner tonight, but this time her prayer was especially detailed and specific and I giggled as she spoke. As we said "Amen" I kept my eyes closed a little longer and drunk in the miracle of the prayer she had given. And then I looked up at Brian and said, "She is DEAF, and she was able to give a prayer like that." Brian gave me a knowing nod and said "I know, its incredible."

It truely is a miracle and I am so, so, so, SO grateful for the blessing of her hearing through her hearing aid and cochlear implant.

I will never take her hearing for granted, and I will be forever grateful for it.