tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52380151831570604222024-03-13T14:08:15.560-07:00Life with Lucas & NoraPolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.comBlogger253125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-32769478259918556122014-06-13T06:21:00.000-07:002014-06-13T06:21:28.017-07:00ROAR!<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>1st day of school (August 2013)</i></span></div>
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Today was the last day of Kindergarten. I've been dreading it for weeks. People keep asking me if I'm ready for the school year to be over. I always say that I want mine to desperately end and for Lucas's to last forever. He has had a WONDERFUL year, thanks in large part to his amazing teacher, Mrs. Burns. She always believed in him and always advocated for him. She also pushed him academically, and kept pushing. He's reading on a 2nd grade level. This mama couldn't be happier about that.</div>
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Kindergarten marks the end of his innocence to me. He's starting to ask me big questions. How does a baby get out of your belly? Is Santa Clause real? How does someone become deaf?</div>
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When he asks me questions about being deaf, I feel the amazing opportunity to help him see it in a positive light - to acknowledge his feelings about it (sad, frustrated, etc.), but to affirm the magic and the miracle of the cochlear implant. Tuesday night we talked about getting to meet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Clark_(doctor)" target="_blank">Graeme Clark</a> someday soon, maybe even next February at the <a href="http://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/us/landing-pages/celebration" target="_blank">Cochlear Celebration</a>. I want to meet him <i>so badly</i> to thank him, to shake his hands, and probably to cry uncontrollably in his arms.</div>
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But, Lucas is still my little boy who wants me to cuddle with him every night, so I'm still cherishing those moments. Wednesday morning he asked me if I would come and visit him when he's in college. I agreed if he goes to Penn State and lets me spend the night in his dorm room. It was a deal.</div>
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I could spend hours telling you about the great things that Mrs. Burns did with her Kindergarten class this year, but one thing comes to mind immediately. She took popular radio songs and taught them to the kids, and let them listen and dance to them. The one song was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-GLuydiMe4" target="_blank">Happy</a> by Pharrell Williams. They would form a big circle and each student got to dance in the middle. This is how they started their day on a happy note. The other was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CevxZvSJLk8" target="_blank">Roar</a> by Katy Perry. With <i>Roar</i>, they talked about perseverance, and wrote poetry. Check out Lucas's poem:<br />
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Lucas has spent the last 4 months <i>obsessed</i> with this song. We're constantly watching it on YouTube, trying to find it on Pandora, and just singing it freestyle. Nora likes to sing it too. To me, it's so much more than a catchy song. It's an anthem for his year. It's an announcement of his capability instead of his disability. It's him shouting from the rooftops that he's a force to be reckoned with. <i>I love it.</i> Here he is - I think his smile and enthusiasm say it all.</div>
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<i>I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath</i></div>
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<i>Scared to rock the boat and make a mess</i></div>
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<i>So I sat quietly, agreed politely</i></div>
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<i>I guess that I forgot I had a choice</i></div>
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<i>I let you push me past the breaking point</i></div>
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<i>I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything</i></div>
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<i>You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)</i></div>
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<i>Already brushing off the dust</i></div>
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<i>You hear my voice you hear that sound</i></div>
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<i>Like thunder gonna shake the ground</i></div>
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<i>You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)</i></div>
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<i>Get ready 'cause I've had enough</i></div>
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<i>I see it all, I see it now</i></div>
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<i>I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire</i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar</span></b></i></div>
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<i>Louder, louder than a lion</i></div>
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<i>'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar</i></div>
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<i>oh oh oh oh oh oh</i></div>
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<i>oh oh oh oh oh oh</i></div>
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<i>You're gonna hear me roar</i></div>
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© Katy Perry</div>
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You did it, buddy. I hope that your love for school, learning and life continues. You make us very proud. You are a champion, and we hope to continue to hear you <i>roar</i>.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">last day of school (June 2014)</span></i></div>
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PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-19611785998689057672014-01-09T19:44:00.001-08:002014-01-09T19:44:35.754-08:005 in 5 yearsToday we celebrate 5 years of hearing for Lucas. FIVE YEARS. Here are five things I've learned in five years of life with Lucas and his cochlear implants.<br />
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1. <strong>The cochlear implant is now only a <em>part</em> of who he is and of who I am.</strong> He is more importantly a boy in Kindergarten who loves life, practices Taekwondo, loves to play Wii and is super loyal to his friends. I am no longer the mom with the deaf son. I am the working mom of two children, one of whom is deaf. Five years has provided me with distance and perspective. Early on I was completely consumed with hearing loss and cochlear implants. I don't regret it for a moment; it was part of the grieving/acceptance process and also what has gotten us to where we are. I devoted an incredible amount of time figuring out how to ensure Lucas had the very best outcome. We are there.<br />
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2. <strong>Advocacy continues to be a top priority and is never ceasing.</strong> Right now (unfortunately) we are battling for his deaf education services to be carried out appropriately. It is because I am constantly advocating for him that I even know what's occurring and what's not occurring. I'm not entrusting the school to take charge of his education. I am taking charge of his education. Knowledge is power.<br />
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3. <strong>Lucas's future is clearer, but new challenges continue to emerge.</strong> I believe that the first two years of Lucas's life were the toughest because of the unknown. When he was first diagnosed we had no idea if he would ever hear. When he was first implanted we had no idea if it would ever work. It was at about two years of age, when Lucas had caught up with his hearing peers and began to develop language exponentially, that I knew everything would be alright. Like I posted when <a href="http://lifewithlucasrc.blogspot.com/2013/08/ode-to-kindergarten.html" target="_blank">Lucas started Kindergarten</a> a few months ago, our first long term goal has been met - Lucas attends Kindergarten at our neighborhood school in a mainstream setting. New challenges seem simple in comparison to the beginning, but present their own difficulties. Responding to statements like "I wish I didn't have these CIs" is not easy for this mommy. <br />
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4. <strong>Support is so important, both forwards and backwards.</strong> I was SO alone in the beginning. I couldn't read much about kids with hearing loss before Lucas was six months old, and I never met anyone with a cochlear implant before he received his first. I did have wonderful support from fellow blogger mommies. We still keep in touch on Facebook, even if we don't all blog that much anymore. I vowed to change that for other families, so I started a support group. I have had the fortune of mentoring new families and also learning from other families that are further along in their journey. Support is so key to well-being.<br />
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5. <strong>I continue to feel incredible amounts of gratitude and I want Lucas to grow up feeling the same way.</strong> I feel like Lucas was born into the right family, in the right country, in the right decade. Not a day goes by that I don't stop and think about how fortunate we are, how lucky he is. When he starts to lament his hearing loss and need for CIs (which I believe he is entitled to... and it truly doesn't happen often), I first acknowledge his pain and frustration, and then I try to help him see the positive. We try to show our gratitude in other tangible ways too, like through fundraisers for <a href="http://schreiberpediatric.org/" target="_blank">Schreiber</a> (where Lucas continues to get speech & physical therapy) and <a href="http://www.chop.edu/" target="_blank">CHOP</a>. I don't ever want this miracle become mundane or to start taking it for granted. <br />
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2009</div>
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2014</div>
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Happy 5th hearing birthday, Lucas. We are incredibly proud of you. </div>
PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-7899611539115556942013-08-25T18:56:00.000-07:002013-08-25T18:56:18.462-07:00Ode to KindergartenTomorrow Lucas starts Kindergarten. I've been doing a lot of reflecting in the past few weeks leading up to this day. 5 1/2 years ago, I never would have dreamed that Lucas would be attending our neighborhood elementary school like a typical kid. <br />
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I have a busy week ahead, starting my own school year and making sure that his begins successfully. On Tuesday, I will be in-servicing all of the supporting teachers he will work with (gym, art, music, library, speech, etc.). On Thursday, I will be reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Hear-It-For-Almigal/dp/0983829403" target="_blank">Let's Hear It For Almigal</a> to his class. I'm really looking forward to both times to help make his transition smooth.<br />
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At the beginning of August Nate and I attended the <a href="http://omcphplive.outreach.psu.edu/omc/low-incidence/" target="_blank">PA Low Incidence Conference</a> in State College. We attended some great workshops, networked with other parents, and both kids got to attend a "camp." During that time, I was able to reflect a lot on our almost 6 year journey of being Lucas's parents. As I have some attention issues, I decided to write my own "'Twas the night before Kindergarten" to sum things up and bridge the next stage of Lucas's life.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Ode to Lucas on the Night Before Kindergarten<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">‘Twas the night before Kindergarten,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">And as I think back, over 5 ½ years
have already passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Those first few days, months &
weeks were uncertain and uneasy,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">But everyone hoped and kept on
believing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Hours of therapy, thousands of
miles,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Schreiber, JTC, CHOP, Clarke, EI.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Philadelphia, Lancaster, even Los
Angeles:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Over time it became clear success
was evident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Advocacy, support groups, Facebook
& Blogger:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">New friends in our backyard and even
the whole world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">NICU, MRIs, even 6 surgeries,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">All before you were too big to get
upset and worry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Tomorrow you head to your neighborhood
school,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Although you might rather be swimming
in a pool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">You'll use your voice, your smile, and your FM system<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">And all of those self-advocacy
skills you’ve been practicing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Your first long term goal is about to
be met,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">And now there are new ones that need
to be set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Doctor? Teacher? CI Audiologist?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">First deaf president of the United
States?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Cochlear implants have forever
changed your future<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">And now we can’t wait to start some
ne<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>w adventures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">© Jennifer R. Campbell <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>6
August 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-63518405042496894122013-01-05T19:24:00.003-08:002013-01-05T19:24:43.567-08:00Check out this new(er) blog!Please welcome my dear friend, <a href="http://mrandmrstweet.blog.com/" target="_blank">Jillian</a>, to the CI-mama blogosphere! Both her husband and her son are implanted, and she has a lot of great things to write about. Check out her <a href="http://mrandmrstweet.blog.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>!PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-11182396823493266542013-01-01T09:37:00.001-08:002013-01-09T09:58:33.354-08:00Happy New Year!On this, the first day of 2013, I find myself looking ahead to the new year and wondering what it will bring for our family. Hopefully more blogging.<br />
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Lucas just celebrated his 5th birthday. The weekend of his birthday fell exactly the way it did at his birth, so I did a lot of reflecting - the crazy blur that was his birth 5 weeks too early, and of course, all the health issues in the days and weeks to follow. If only I knew then what I know now, I could have saved myself so much heartache. The only word I can use to describe my feeling of understanding is <i>perspective</i>. Five years have brought me a lot of perspective when it comes to parenting and hearing loss.<br />
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I was home to celebrate with him on his big day (because it was on a Sunday!), and celebrate we did. We spent the afternoon at <a href="http://dutchwonderland.com/" target="_blank">Dutch Winter Wonderland</a>, with our dear friends who live down the street.<br />
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Nora is 14 months and is a really sweet little girl. I'm having so much fun watching her grow! Her natural language milestones are also incredibly fascinating to me, along with her acquisition of Spanish. We're teaching her ASL signs with Spanish, and she uses quite a few already: milk, water, cheese, grapes, eat, daddy, cat, more, bath, sleep, all done, please and monkey. She doesn't talk much, but says mama, dada, "ga" (for gato = cat), up, hi, uh-oh and tickle. She growls for a lion, and quacks like a duck. She waves hi and bye, likes to give butzers (raspberries), LOVES to read books, and is obsessed with our cats. She just started walking (as her chosen means of getting around) at Christmas, although she's been knee walking for about 2 months. Check it out... it's pretty amusing:<br />
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We had family portraits taken at the end of October. Here she is at 12 months:<br />
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Lucas celebrates his 4th hearing birthday in just 8 short days. I haven't decided what we're going to do yet, but something fun. I don't know why, but I'm even more excited for his hearing birthday than his real birthday. It makes me almost giddy just thinking about it. Lucas continues to progress beautifully. He was tested this fall and is scoring at and above age appropriate levels in all areas of language. He will start Kindergarten in the fall at our local elementary school, and will be completely mainstreamed. This is what we've been aiming for for the past 5 years. </div>
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I would really like to blog more this year, and I'm going to try and find time to do so. I want to chronicle Nora's bilingual journey, as it is almost as fascinating as Lucas's hearing journey. Lucas is learning Spanish too, just not the same as Nora. In the middle of the night the other night, he asked me for "más agua" (more water). </div>
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May your new year be blessed with new experiences!</div>
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PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-65774493715210378092012-04-12T07:37:00.000-07:002012-04-12T07:37:28.489-07:00advocacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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dyeing Easter eggs!</div>
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Wow, it's been a long time. There are no excuses, but several explanations for my blog hiatus. Although I have SIGNIFICANTLY more time on my hands than if I were working, having two kids is keeping me very busy! Mostly though, Lucas's hearing loss journey has slowed down. It has peeked and plateaued. We are right where we'd like to be.<br />
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Despite the missing processor that we are still desperately searching for, Lucas continues to progress remarkably well, and especially thrive in his mainstream setting. He continues to take swimming lessons and has started playing soccer. He has lots of friends with whom he communicates brilliantly. He is doing everything that I would expect of a typical 4-year-old boy.<br />
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Our biggest buzz word around here lately is advocacy... in several different contexts. I like to believe that I moved into advocacy mode when I stopped grieving his hearing loss when Lucas was 6 months old and I began this blog. Before that, I couldn't read about other children with hearing loss, because it was just too painful. Thank goodness I got over that quickly and began advocating for my child. I believe that this advocacy mode will last for a long time to come, at least until he goes to college and I now longer have much input. He will then have to fully advocate for himself. And those are the skills that we have begun to work on... NOW.<br />
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Prior to re-writing his IEP this year, Lucas received services at home from a teacher of the deaf once a week for 3 out of 4 weeks a month, with the 4th visit being at preschool. She now pushes in to his classroom every other week, with her goal being to teach him self-advocacy skills. He is learning to speak up when he doesn't hear, to ask others to repeat themselves, to position himself strategically in the best location in the classroom (away from loud objects such as radiators or music, as close as possible to the teacher). These skills are important LIFE skills, and will be most important when he enters grade school.<br />
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Although we're teaching him self-advocacy, I'm still advocating for him from the sidelines. I have mastered the 1-minute here's-what-you-need-to-know-about-his-ears-and-his-needs speech. This has been helpful for swim lessons, soccer practice and church. It goes something like this:<br />
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"Hi, my son's name is Lucas and he's deaf. (pause and let it sink in)... But, he hears and speaks really well with his cochlear implants (pause longer this time for the processing of an illogical concept)... I have two tips for you... get his attention before you speak to him, and be as close to him as possible when you do. Don't worry if one of the magnets falls off, because he can put it back on himself, but if the processor falls off, he may need some help positioning it back on his ear. Okay, thanks, bye... and good luck."<br />
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I'm also advocating for our local children with hearing loss. By starting a support group, we are helping each other advocate, informing each other about how to give our children the care and services they need and deserve, every step of the way.<br />
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Recently I visited my <a href="http://senatorbrubaker.com/">local state senator</a> to speak to him personally about supporting oral deaf education in Pennsylvania. The idea was not all my own, but it made me feel incredibly empowered, like I could truly make a difference on a broader level. What was really cool, is that I took Lucas with me, so he could speak for himself. He certainly left a lasting impression on the senator, who was thoroughly impressed at Lucas's ability to express himself. I got to do some educating on cochlear implants (one of my favorite things to do), and the senator gave me a 100% commitment to writing a letter of support, which was my request. I also encouraged him to continue to support Medicaid in PA, without which Lucas may not have one and would certainly not have two cochlear implants. We would be paying for that first surgery for the next 50 years, and would probably both have 2 additional part-time jobs. He agreed that it was worth every penny the state spent.<br />
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Life is good, and we are immensely blessed by this hearing loss journey. It has opened many new doors and experiences, and we've met so many people whose paths we never would have crossed.<br />
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"<i>Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.</i>" ~ Helen Keller<br />
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Happy 3rd Hearing Birthday, Lucas!</div>
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It's been three years since Lucas's hearing journey began. We were told that day to keep our hopes high and our expectations low, but we learned quickly that he would far exceed our expectations. We did, however, have no idea that we'd be where we are today... with a little boy who never stops talking, who is ahead of his hearing peers in terms of language, who very successfully attends a mainstream preschool, who is very social and makes friends easily, and who is just a typical kid. </div>
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Life is so <i>normal</i>, and <i>easy</i> (ok, minus the newborn...) right now, that sometimes I forget how far we've come. Today I sat down with Lucas and watched all of his youtube videos from his first year of life. I'm so thankful that I chronicled his listening/speaking/communicating milestones in this way, because I forget about the baby steps and the joy in the little things that first hearing year. Lucas got a kick out of the videos, and I cried a lot. He kept wanting to know why I was crying. My response? "It's complicated." It's tough to explain to a 4-year-old the sorrow, joy and relief that those videos evoked. </div>
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I forget sometimes that he went from beeps and buzzes to coherent receptive language in less than 3 months... that by 6 months he had 11 words/approximations... that by 12 months he was caught up to his hearing peers. I forget sometimes how incredibly hard we worked that year. The messy house you see in all of his videos? Totally worth it in exchange for more mommy therapy. That 7 month hiatus I took from my job to teach Lucas to listen and speak? It was worth every moment spent and every penny lost. </div>
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We have been incredibly blessed by this journey. We are forever grateful to Graeme Clark, the inventor of the cochlear implant, Dr. K. for his skillful implantation, and all of his therapists, who have helped teach him to listen and speak. We can't wait to see what this next year will bring for him. Enjoy the video from his activation day!</div>
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...my two beautiful children on Christmas Eve, all dressed up for church and festivities. Next year, Nora will be well on her way to being a little person, leaving her babyhood.</div>
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It's <span style="color: red;">moments</span> like this that made my heart melt... </div>
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...as I watched my little boy turn four, and beamed with pride at all the obstacles he's overcome in his short life.</div>
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It's <span style="color: red;">moments</span> like this afternoon at church, when I first noticed the sign language interpreter beautifully interpret the Christmas hymns, and froze for a moment, imagining how our lives might have been... not bad, not sad, just different. </div>
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It's <span style="color: red;">moments</span> like that, when I marvel at modern medical miracles like the cochlear implant that allow the deaf to hear, that allow my son to enjoy the sounds of Christmas, just like me, just like his baby sister.</div>
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Without this technology, we wouldn't have heard Lucas ask us where the camel was in the Christmas sermon play, we wouldn't have reminded him that he needed to whisper during the service, and we wouldn't have heard him attempt to *sing* along to the hymns.
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It's <span style="color: red;">moments</span> like right now, Christmas Eve, when I sit her with immense gratitude to Graeme Clark and Dr. K, for giving this gift of sound to my son, and many other deaf children around the world, changing the way they experience Christmas, interact with their family, and take on the world. </div>
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It's <span style="color: red;">moments</span> like those at church this afternoon that will never get old, that we will never take for granted. </div>
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Merry Christmas! Wishing you peace, love and joy!</div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-1614539972574387652011-11-08T12:42:00.000-08:002011-12-05T10:55:29.713-08:00Dear LucasDear Lucas,<br />
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You've been a big brother for almost 7 weeks now. What an awesome time it has been (especially when Daddy was home). We've tried really hard to make you feel special, and so have all of our family and friends with their little presents to you.<br />
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You were so lucky to have met Nora just a few minutes after she was born. What a special moment for mommy! You are so gentle when you hold her, and you love to give her hugs and kisses (even if you do smother her once in a while).<br />
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You are Mommy's little helper! You get me supplies when I'm tied up, and it's even good practice for you with following multi-step directions. "Please get me her blanket and the pink burp cloth in the basket." Once a therapy mommy, always a therapy mommy.<br />
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Nora is a more challenging baby than you were in some ways. She's not as content as you were, but my days with her are much more carefree than my early days with you were. My biggest concern with her is when she's going to want to eat next or whether she's going to keep me up all night, as opposed to whether you could hear or would need open heart surgery. As a result, I'm more willing to share her with others this time around. With you... not so much.<br />
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On the day she was born, she had her hearing tested... right in the room with Mommy. It was extremely emotional, and I cried the whole time. The nurses in the hospital still need some sensitivity training and education. Even with knowledge of your history, they still told me not to worry about it, and if she didn't pass, it was probably just fluid in her ears. We're the wrong family to tell that to! Here is the screen that we saw:<br />
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She passed her hearing screening in both ears. She can hear. The results really evoked mixed emotions for me. Although we are elated that Nora will not have to endure what you did (the tests, surgeries, therapies, etc) or go through the life long struggles of living with a hearing loss, somehow rejoicing too much in the results was also the same as saying that you are not perfect just the way you are, and that we somehow love you less. Needless to say, we have not shouted her hearing results from the rooftops with joy, but rather whispered them with some sense of relief and ease. It's very personal. I think only some of my fellow hearing loss mommies might understand.<br />
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I worry about the day when you start to ask me why Nora doesn't have ears like you. For now, you don't seem to be particularly concerned about it. ever. We have yet to have any of those difficult conversations. Sometimes I try to initiate them, and you just move on. You know what your ears are called, and that you need them to hear, and that's about it. Although you ask "why" about 1,000 times a day, that has yet to be one of your questions. The word "deaf" has yet to come up either. Maybe I'm as bad as the audiologists we worked with in the very beginning, but I'm just so hesitant to teach you to label yourself already. You are still only 3. But not for long!<br />
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I'm enjoying my time at home with you and Nora IMMENSELY. You did ask me the other day if I was going to work so Oma could wake you up in the morning. Nope... not for 9 more months. Yippee!<br />
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I can't wait to watch you grow up with Nora. We can only hope and pray that she is as sweet, witty and feisty as you are. You will teach her much about the world around her. It's scary to think that by the time Nora is your current age, you'll be almost 8. I hope that day doesn't come too soon.<br />
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I love you with all of my heart,<br />
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Mommy<br />
xoxoxoPolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-29147127642941960622011-11-08T12:36:00.000-08:002011-11-08T12:37:06.219-08:00introducing...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Nora Susanna</span></div>
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born mid-October 2011</div>
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Lucas is absolutely smitten by her. I can't wait to watch them grow up together. She is one lucky girl.</div>
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We are so proud of how well he has adjusted. He is not at all jealous, and just has pure love for her. This is such an incredibly joyful time for us. There's nothing in the world like having BOTH babies want to cuddle all the time. Our family is complete.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ErkkJfkPZd4/TrmR71l0QxI/AAAAAAAABsU/eakNA7w7N88/s1600/DSC_0114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ErkkJfkPZd4/TrmR71l0QxI/AAAAAAAABsU/eakNA7w7N88/s320/DSC_0114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-80215418293369181712011-10-11T09:27:00.000-07:002011-10-11T09:46:26.729-07:00Ten on TuesdayWhat's new with Lucas?<br />
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1. I've been home on medical leave for a week now until the baby comes. We're trying to avoid another premature birth, and I'm really glad that my doctor had enough insight to suggest that I stay home. I might be blogging a little bit more now too. :)<br />
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2. Lucas is so excited for his baby sister. I hope it continues. When I asked him the other night how he's going to help, he replied, "I'm going to change her diaper, help put her to bed, read her stories, and she's going to sleep over at Oma's house." Priceless.<br />
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3. In preparation for the big birth-day, Lucas has been spending the night at my parents' house once a week. It is the highlight of his week. I always ask ahead of time, and then make him call and ask too. I LOVE seeing him talk on the phone. It always amazes me, and I believe it always will.<br />
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4. I love Fall! I used to think Spring was my favorite time of year, but it's definitely Fall. I love the cooler weather (with a passion), and I love watching the leaves change colors. It's also the season of fairs, and pumpkin patches, and new vocabulary topics. I enjoy living in a part of the country that sees all 4 seasons.<br />
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5. Speaking of weather... this weather makes me want to spend time outside, as opposed to inside like during our humid summer. Lucas plays so nicely with our older neighborhood children, and we can just sit in the driveway, and watch him play from a distance. I'm so happy to live in our new house, and to be part of a nice little community. We've been in our house a little over a year now.<br />
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6. Last week was our town's annual farm show. Lucas has been looking forward to it all year. We told him that as soon as the leaves started to turn colors that it would be time for the farm show. Lo and behold... the leaves started to change and it was farm show time! He got to see cows, pigs, sheep, goats, alpacas, bunnies, and a few other animals. We went every day. Here's a picture from the festivities:<br />
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7. I've been enjoying my (rest) time at home, but I'm also taking advantage of celebrating autumn with little Lucas. We decorated the house, and last week we made "Halloween" cupcakes to share with his neighborhood friends. He was so proud of these!<br />
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8. Our little fish is taking learn-to-swim lessons at a local retirement community. We're going to continue through the winter. I'm so incredibly thankful for the ability to waterproof his CI, as lessons would not go as smoothly without him being able to hear. During the first class, I decided not even to mention to his instructor that he's deaf. I wanted to see how he would do. Other than the swimming cap (which is a little strange for a 3-year-old, but not too out of the ordinary), his CI was not visible, so no one knew his little "secret". Admittedly, it was kind of nice to not have immediate looks or questions. He did pretty well, but it was apparent that he would need some minor accommodations so it doesn't appear that he's just ignoring his instructor! The indoor pool area echoes excessively, and she really needs to be within close proximity to him (and his microphone for that matter) for him to hear her well. She was surprised when I told her, and very happy to accommodate.</div>
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9. One month ago, we welcomed the newest addition to our extended family, my niece Audrey! She is <a href="http://lifewithlucasrc.blogspot.com/2009/03/march-for-babies.html">Ryan</a>'s little sister, and was born healthy and full-term. Lucas and Ryan are a month apart, and now Audrey and our baby girl will be about a month or so apart too. And no, we didn't plan it that way, but we're so excited about it! Our boys are great buddies, and we hope that the girls will grow up to be great friends also.</div>
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10. I'm 36 weeks pregnant today, and it's quite a milestone to have reached! I'm now a few days past the point when I delivered Lucas. Every day we are one step closer to bringing home a healthy baby girl! Here's a photo of me with Lucas a little over a week ago. Let the FINAL COUNTDOWN begin!</div>
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PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-50178673076750526192011-10-10T11:35:00.000-07:002011-10-11T09:46:06.838-07:00language sample - 3 year 9 monthsHere's a spontaneous language sample from a few weeks ago. I wanted to record him talking about going to the beach, as that seems to be his highlight from this summer. Enjoy!<br />
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PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-7224149613916021542011-10-03T06:27:00.000-07:002011-10-11T09:45:49.720-07:00naïveA better name for this post would be not-so-na<span style="font-family: Times;">ï</span>ve.<br />
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When I was pregnant with Lucas, I remember quite vividly having my first ultrasound at 20 weeks. I knew that at that time, we would be able to see if our baby was "structurally sound," if you will, in addition to possibly finding out the gender. We had no gender success (for another few ultrasounds), but we learned that day that Lucas had 10 fingers and 10 toes, and I felt so relieved. SO RELIEVED! As if 10 fingers and 10 toes could predict the health of my baby. </div>
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Flash forward to his premature birth, a result of a premature rupture of membranes at 35 weeks (my water broke), followed by an 8-day NICU stay (I was discharged without him on Christmas Day!), 3 failed newborn hearing screenings, a detected heart murmur, and another birth defect. We left the NICU with a neonatologist (who should NOT work with NICU families) telling us that Lucas was going to die because of his heart defect... never mind his hearing. To say that the first few weeks of his life were difficult is a VAST understatement. I woke him every 3 hours for the first month of his life to feed him. And, I didn't put him down for about 2 months. Really. We even slept together on the couch. Add to it the fact that I spent 10 hours a day trying to (unsuccessfully) breastfeed him for the first <i>3 months</i> until he was hospitalized with RSV for 5 days, at which point I decided to pump full time for the next 10 months. He was then hospitalized again for 5 days at 6 months old with suspected meningitis. Those first few months are seriously a blur. He had 2 sedated MRIs, a CT scan and 2 surgeries by the time he turned 1. I never once had a carefree day with him. Never even once. There's a CD I used to listen to during that time to try and relax. When I hear it now, it makes me absolutely sick.</div>
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I'm not looking for pity at all, but that was my reality. I now know that it really could have been much <i>worse</i>. We have so many blessings to count. But it still wasn't easy, and you'll never understand until you have a similar experience. Lucas is the center of my world. His joy brings me happiness every.single.day. His lust for life clouds over the intense sorrow and worry I had for him as a newborn. His success is because of a fighting spirit on both his part and ours. We now only look with lots and lots of hope toward the future. We are at a great point in life with Lucas, and we hardly think about that first, difficult year.</div>
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However, with the imminent arrival of our baby girl, Lucas's birth and infancy are all that's on my mind. It's the only thing I know. And this time around, I'm not so na<span style="font-family: Times;">ï</span>ve. </div>
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I know the devastating effects of <a href="http://lifewithlucasrc.blogspot.com/2009/03/march-for-babies.html">premature birth</a>. I know the heartbreak of a NICU stay. I know the struggle of unsuccessful breastfeeding. I know the stress of several difficult diagnoses paired with numerous specialist appointments 90 miles away. I know the anxiety of not one, but <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">6</span></b> surgeries for my child, in addition to several painful tests. </div>
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But, I also know how to try and prevent premature birth with closely-followed prenatal care. I know that my baby will probably come home after a NICU stay (at least at this point in my pregnancy). I know that I can still pump breast milk and give my baby the nutrition she deserves. I know how to prepare and pack an infant for a long day of specialist visits. I know how to prepare a child (and myself) for surgery and tests. I know where to look for and find invaluable parent support! AND I know how to teach a baby to listen and speak. <br />
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We know that it's certainly possible that our little girl may have a hearing loss. I know families with 1 of 4 children with <a href="http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/eva.asp">EVA</a>, and I know families with 4 out of 4 children with EVA. It is absolutely not out of the realm of possibilities. It will still be devastating, and we will mourn for a time, but we will be <i>prepared. </i>And we know what a bright future she will have. She has an AMAZING big brother to look up to. At this point, it is the <em>least</em> of my worries. And, if she CAN hear, she might just be the amazing 6-month old talking baby (haha), because auditory-verbal therapy is an integral part of our parenting lifestyle.</div>
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This one has got to be easier though, right? Here's praying for an easy next 2 weeks (to full-term), a smooth delivery, and most of all... a HEALTHY baby girl who gets to go home when her mommy is discharged. Bring it on.</div>
PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-66277154291047032502011-09-12T18:30:00.000-07:002011-09-12T18:30:48.656-07:001st day of preschool<br />
I've been quite neglectful of the blog this summer. I'm actually a little sad about it, but I can say with certainty that we had an AMAZING summer with our little man, and blogging just didn't fit into the picture very often.<br />
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Being pregnant this summer and chasing after an energetic 3 year old with a busy schedule kept me very tired. Most nights I would put him to bed and go straight to bed myself. I don't like to give "no time" as an excuse, because I believe you make time for what you want to make time for, so instead I will chalk it up to "no energy."<br />
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We spent lots of time in the pool. This kid is a fish. Seriously. We often dressed him like this, although he lost the tube pretty quickly because he's so great in the water! The one-piece outfit is SPF 50, so that we wouldn't have to put suntan lotion on every inch of his body.<br />
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Check out this daredevil:<br />
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Lucas spent time at camp, we went on many day trips, spent some time at the beach, and just enjoyed having mommy around full time. We didn't get through the whole <a href="http://lifewithlucasrc.blogspot.com/2011/06/brought-to-you-by-letter-s.html">alphabet</a>, but did quite a few letters.</div>
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Lucas had his first day of preschool today. He attends a mainstream preschool, at the same location as last year. He will attend 3 days a week for 2.5 hours this year with nine other typical hearing peers. Much to my dismay, I was unable to go with him to his first day, but Oma took him and reported that he enjoyed himself and was happy to see friends from last year. One of the mothers inquired about his ears, and wondered how well he could speak. Apparently she was pretty impressed when she heard him. (*insert proud mommy grin here*)</div>
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Lucas continues to receive services at <a href="http://www.schreiberpediatric.org/">Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center</a>, one of my favorite places. He gets speech therapy once weekly and physical therapy biweekly. He still struggles a bit with his gross motor skills, although he's progressing well. He also gets weekly services from a great Teacher of the Deaf at home. I believe he is thriving with his current services. He had some formal testing done at CHOP this summer when he was 3 years 6 months, and he was testing in the 4 year 2 month to 4 year 8 month range in a variety of receptive/expressive/skill categories normed against typical hearing peers. GO Lucas!</div>
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I'm on the final countdown... 7 weeks or fewer to go in this pregnancy! It has not been a particularly easy pregnancy, and I've been watched closely because of Lucas's premature birth and myriad of health issues. I've had 16 (weekly) shots of 17P (progesterone) so far to prevent pre-term labor, and I only have 4 to go! This week I start weekly non-stress tests. I will be glad when <i>she</i>'s here. She has a name, but it is a secret. Not even Oma knows. Of course, I have my worries, but I can tell you that hearing loss is at the bottom of that list. We know that it's certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. But, that's another post altogether... hopefully soon. </div>
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PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-59370031803430746372011-07-27T19:09:00.000-07:002011-07-27T19:09:46.720-07:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-74Y4Xj7VkzI/TjDErurjUfI/AAAAAAAABoE/dCYAe-Cv_cY/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-74Y4Xj7VkzI/TjDErurjUfI/AAAAAAAABoE/dCYAe-Cv_cY/s320/IMG_0017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdv3ken8on0/TjDE3GV7O4I/AAAAAAAABoI/gBdB6AQ6I1U/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdv3ken8on0/TjDE3GV7O4I/AAAAAAAABoI/gBdB6AQ6I1U/s320/IMG_0053.JPG" width="227" /></a></div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-9770438044212106152011-06-24T19:12:00.000-07:002011-06-24T19:12:32.102-07:00brought to you by the letter "s"Today I bring to you the first installation of our ABCs of summer. Basically, I'm going to pick a letter of the day to concentrate on, and try to find as many things to do for the day that start with that letter. We are also going to practice writing that letter, and talk about its sound all day. I'm hoping that this will give our days a little bit more focus, while working on pre-literacy skills and vocabulary expansion with Lucas!<br />
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Today's letter was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">S</span>. We practiced writing it in one of these cool <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uppercase-Alphabet-Barbara-Gregorich/dp/1589473442/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1308967485&sr=8-4">workbooks</a> that I got on Amazon a few weeks ago on sale...<br />
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We ate an egg & cheese <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">S</span></b>andwich for breakfast...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then we went to the park to play in the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">S</span></b>and...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>S</b></span>wing like a monkey...<br />
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go down the *gasp* <i>plastic</i> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">S</span></b>lide...<br />
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and we finished off the first half of the day in Oma's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>S</b></span>wimming pool...<br />
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It was easy, fun, (free), and focused. It gave us something to talk about all day long. I was happy when Nate came home from his grad class and Lucas told him about the letter of the day <i>unprompted</i>! I'm looking forward to the rest of our ABC days... in no particular order, of course.PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-33057179059726673612011-06-23T19:50:00.000-07:002011-06-23T19:50:14.221-07:00Thankful on ThursdayThings for which I'm thankful this Thursday...<br />
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1. <b>A great cardiology appointment.</b> We were in and out of there in about 45 minutes, including an EKG, a heart echo and two visits with his cardiologist. Lucas was cooperative, although a bit apprehensive of all the tests. We also got a preliminary results reading of status quo. His heart condition is no better, but it also does not appear worse! We'll take it. You can read a little more about Lucas's heart <a href="http://lifewithlucasrc.blogspot.com/2009/01/that-too.html">here</a>.<br />
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2. <b>Our new home and new neighbors. </b>We enjoyed spending time with our neighbors at "hot dog Thursday" tonight, while Lucas played with the neighborhood kids. I love that our neighborhood gets along so well that we have a get together once a week!<br />
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3. <b>Waterproofing CI efforts. </b>Lucas is a different kid in the water when he can listen and we can reason with him. We are limited to our 50 or so survival signs, which don't include ultimatums, reasoning, and bribery. It's so much more effective when he can hear us!<br />
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4. <b>Summer break.</b> My stress level has decreased significantly, as has my blood pressure! I am thoroughly enjoying being home full-time with little-boy-blue. He's enjoying his "mommy days" too!<br />
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5. <b>The public library.</b> Lucas has a love of books, and is highly motivated by <i>new</i> books. We have been having a blast visiting the library to check out books and DVDs every week. The summer is still young too...<br />
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6. <b>A boy that never stops talking.</b> He talks to himself, he talks to his stuffed animals & he talks to me constantly. It never.gets.old. I will never.take.it.for.granted. I often ponder the idea that he was truly born to talk. Without his CIs, that never would have been a reality for him. It's so sad for me to think about.<br />
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7. <b>Light-blocking blinds in Lucas's bedroom. </b>With these blinds, he doesn't mind going to bed before it's dark, and he would also sleep until 9 AM some mornings, if I would let him. He's rather sensitive to light, I believe in part due to a heightening of his 4 other senses, because of his loss of hearing. It's just a mama theory though.<br />
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8. <b>2-sided wig tape. </b>When we saw Lucas in recovery after his most recent surgery, the nurse informed us that Lucas would have to wear his left (new) ear only, because of the incision. I laughed out loud. We could try that, I thought to myself, if she wanted to see a very agitated preschooler yelling, "I need my ear," while groggily awakening from anesthesia. Instead, I popped off the ear hook and stuck it to his head with the ear tape that I keep in all of my bags. Beautiful solution. She even thought so.<br />
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9. <b>Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.</b> I wouldn't imagine taking Lucas anywhere else right now for all of his specialty care. We feel very blessed to live within (pretty) easy driving distance to their facilities. Lucas sees some of the best doctors in the nation, and I feel very comfortable with him in their care.<br />
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10. <b>Family.</b> I'm so thankful for the very special relationships that Lucas has with both sets of grandparents and his aunts and cousins. They also help us out tremendously. I'm so glad that we live so close to everyone.<br />
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For what are you thankful this Thursday?PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-73901492964363019232011-06-22T19:14:00.000-07:002011-06-22T19:14:36.966-07:00Cooperative or uncooperative? That is the question...I'll give Lucas a grade of B on the cooperation level today. Overall, we had a great day. I was flying solo. It was just me, Lucas, the GPS lady, and Dave Matthews. The same exact trip that took me 1 hr 20 minutes on Monday took me 2 hours flat today. It's a good thing that I left at 7:45 AM for our 10:00 appointment. I timed it perfectly.<br />
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While sitting in traffic on the Schuykill, Lucas informed me that he had to go potty. I told him he had to wait. That was not good enough of an answer for my 3 year old munchkin. He started to cry and whine. We weren't going anywhere, but there was nowhere to pull off on the side of the road, not even a small shoulder. I made an executive mommy decision: Lucas was going to pee in our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-J5251-Potty-On-the-Go-Gray/dp/B000NVZ8BW">potty on-the-go</a>, while I was driving. He unbuckled the top and I unbuckled the bottom of the 5-point harness, and he wiggled onto the floor the sit on his moving potty. Then we reversed the order. I was pretty relieved when I heard that last click. It ended up being a good decision, as we wouldn't arrive for another 30 minutes.<br />
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What happens on the Schuykill, stays on the Schuykill. I promise, precedent has not been set.<br />
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The purpose of today's speech & audiology appointments was strictly new ear follow-up (6 months post-activation). We started with speech, and Lucas was quite cooperative. He gets an A- for that appointment. It was interesting to see some of the deficiencies he still has with that ear, although he's come a long way. He has trouble differentiating between /b/ and /d/, and he was unable to discriminate the word "ball" at all, on several occasions. He confused it with "dog". We decided that if he would slow down and listen, he might get more, but he wants it to be easy, and he just tries to fill in the information. I think that it comes back to the disparity between the two ears. It <b>IS</b> really easy for him to hear with his old ear. He has to work hard with his new ear. At one point she used the phrase, "read the book" and he repeated, "ride the bike." He got the r/d/b/k part, just not the vowels. I thought that was pretty interesting.<br />
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He got a nice little break between appointments: some time to play and have a snack. I thought he would be good to go for audiology. He was more interested in doing this:<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">That was really only part of the time. He was willing to listen to the various frequencies/decibels, but he lost it when he was asked to repeat and/or point to pictures. He moved into teacher mode.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is where I pulled out the bribery card.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When we went to the room for him to be mapped, I reminded him several times that we would go to the Please Touch Museum if he listened to M. He remembered playing on the digger & dump truck, and he kept confirming that that's what we would do. I think the <strike>bribery</strike> encouragement worked. He let M map him pretty well. He got a few new programs to work through, that hopefully will help him in the lower frequencies. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We had a great time at Please Touch! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">He was asleep about 5 minutes after we got in the car to go home. The only thing that kept me awake for the ride ahead was singing a little Dave at the top of my lungs. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Lucas couldn't hear me. It was probably a good thing, to which my husband will attest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow's line-up includes the last day of camp for this session, and another trip to CHOP for a heart echo and a visit with cardiology. At least we won't be driving the whole way into the city, but going to the King of Prussia office. There might be time to stop for a little Baja Fresh too...</div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-79509065385012048542011-06-21T19:09:00.000-07:002011-06-21T19:09:19.785-07:00the next dayLucas is totally back to himself, and he had a great day. I did give him some Tylenol, but I sent him to camp because he seemed to be feeling so well. It is amazing how quickly he is able to bounce back from surgery. He's even looking forward to heading back to the hospital tomorrow to see speech and audiology. We talked a lot about how he would not see any "hospital beds" and there would be no "ouchies", but that he would have to listen with his new ear! I'm really hoping he cooperates. I'm prepared to take him to the Please Touch Museum after his appointments, and bribery is not out of the question to get him to cooperate... maybe he'll just do it naturally though!PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-36878885844016899882011-06-20T18:17:00.000-07:002011-06-20T18:17:45.480-07:00behind usYes, it is over, and I hope that life gets back to normal relatively quickly.<br />
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Lucas is sleeping right now, without me by his side... so that is good! He even willingly went to bed. Here's how our day began...<br />
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I was up at 3:30 AM, after a whopping 4 hours of sleep. My mom arrived at 4 AM, after no hours of sleep. We were off to a great start. I woke Lucas up at 4:15, and *luckily* he peed on the potty for me before we left. He was in a good mood, and happily reported, "Mommy, I sleep through the night!" We were on the road by 4:20, and we arrived at CHOP at 5:40. You gotta love no traffic!!!<br />
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Surprisingly, when we reached surgery reception, there were already lots of people waiting. Lucas was called back at 6:07, and we hung out, meeting with about 10 different people, until 7:30 when they took him back to surgery.<br />
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</div>Our nurse was really great, and she was with him both before and after surgery. He was a little skeptical of all of the prodding at times, but he was very cooperative. The *giggle* juice that they use to decrease anxiety started working just a few minutes before they took him back, but was quite effective. He didn't mind leaving us at all.<br />
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Oma and I checked in at surgery waiting, then headed to the cafeteria to grab some breakfast. We brought it back up to eat, just in case they came around with an update. By 9:00, I had already spoken with the surgeon, and they came to get us to see him. Surgery went well, and he believes that he removed enough tissue and cartilage that it won't return. Lucas slept for another 2 hours (thankfully they let him do so this time). It was perfect, because our nurse was just about to wake him up when he awoke on his own.<br />
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The only comments I got from him about the procedures of the day were, "Mommy, I don't want a shot," (wish granted), and "Mommy, this hurts," when she was removing all the tape from his IV area (the whole way up his forearm). He was happy to eat a popsicle, and then we left. On the way home, he vomited once (not surprisingly), but Oma was quick and caught it. He wasn't sick the rest of the day!<br />
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Lucas slept much of the way home, and we were home by 1 PM. Lucas was very insistent on eating and drinking, so I'm glad his stomach was able to handle it. I filled his pain medication prescription, but he would.not.take.it. I called the pharmacy for advice and they said they could add flavoring & decrease the bitterness, but he still.would.not.take.it. We some how forced it in him, but from now on, I'm just giving him Tylenol.<br />
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He napped again from 5:30-6:30, and I was afraid that he wouldn't go to sleep at a decent hour. But, at 7:30, he was ready for bed. He insisted on a bath, and I'm sure it made him feel better. I just wouldn't let him get his hair wet. We read some stories, and I think he was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.<br />
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I hope he has a good night. I'm really hoping to send him to camp tomorrow. We'll see how he feels.<br />
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Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!<br />
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Let summer <i>really</i> begin!PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-55873901694416264622011-06-19T19:43:00.000-07:002011-06-19T19:43:14.480-07:00preparations<div style="text-align: center;">Happy Father's Day!</div><br />
Lucas is a very lucky boy to have such a great father. He often excitedly remarks that if he eats all of his supper, he will grow big and strong like his daddy! When daddy takes his socks off, so does Lucas. He wants to emulate his father, and I'm so glad that he does.<br />
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On to what's on my my mind... surgery. He will be having his recurring branchial cleft cyst on his right ear removed. We will leave home at 4:15 tomorrow <i>morning</i>, for a 6 AM arrival time. I can't complain, because this is the way we like to do it. We miss all the traffic on the Schuykill Expressway heading towards Philadelphia, and it's much easier to keep food and drink away from him when it's so early. We're also usually home at a decent hour.<br />
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This is surgery number<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">6 </span>for our little Lucas. I have a lot of trouble with that number. I think that's more surgeries than Nate and I and our families have had combined, let alone for a three year old in a three year period. I'm thankful for great medical care and a happy little boy, but part of me is very sad for all that he has been through. I hope that this is the last surgery for a long, long time. But I said that last time, and the time before last. Maybe I should use reverse psychology and say that I'm looking forward to his next surgery soon.<br />
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Kidding.<br />
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I have a couple of stories to share about preparing Lucas for surgery. It started when I told Lucas about his friend Jack's recent surgery. He proceeded to tell me that he needed to go see Dr. K (his surgeon) to have his ear "booboo" fixed. I was so floored, because I hadn't mentioned it to him yet at all. But I went with it, and agreed, telling him that it would happen soon.<br />
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Then, tonight before bed, I picked out some books pertaining to the hospital. He sat down on his bed and says to me, "Why did you pick out a book about the hospital? Because we're going to the hospital tomorrow?"... and proceeds to giggle. LOVE, LOVE! So intuitive.<br />
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After reading books, I asked him what he wanted to bring along to the hospital. He said "doctor bear" and then "Elmo, like I did last time." Last time?!? Last time was his 2nd CI surgery, <i>7 months ago</i>, before he turned 3. I was kind of hoping he had forgotten about that, but not my kid. He has the craziest memory, in my opinion.<br />
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So, I will update tomorrow night, hopefully. I think he will do just fine, as he at least seems to be looking forward to seeing Dr. K (who has performed 4 of his 6 surgeries, by the way). He is certainly very aware of his surroundings, is quite inquisitive, and doesn't miss a single beat. So, it will be interesting. He's a trooper though, that's for sure.<br />
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Thanks for keeping our little Lucas in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AlxSSz2JuEI/Tf6ykOkSAhI/AAAAAAAABlE/WAk835VMc-k/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AlxSSz2JuEI/Tf6ykOkSAhI/AAAAAAAABlE/WAk835VMc-k/s320/IMG_0183.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-23991326470080283292011-06-07T19:43:00.000-07:002011-06-07T19:43:40.418-07:00Ten on Tuesday1. If I get around to posting a Ten on Tuesday next week, it will be my last day of work for the summer! CAN'T WAIT!<br />
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2. Lucas started camp today at his preschool. He's going twice a week for two 3-week sessions. He told me: "I liked going camping today!" So cute.<br />
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3. Lucas is a fish. He likes to swim around in his little pool with his face in the water. I need to get this boy some swimming lessons. It's on my to do list for tomorrow.<br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I <i>love</i> this picture!</span></div><br />
4. We had a great family day last Saturday! I signed Lucas up for the summer reading program at our local library, we picked up our second CSA share (and saw the farmer & chickens, aka Lucas's favorite part), and went to a strawberry festival. Lucas liked the barrel ride the best, riding it <i>three</i> times.<br />
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5. June is our month at CHOP. Lucas will be having surgery on June 20, and he'll also be seeing audiology, speech, cardiology & genetics in a matter of a week. Such is the life of a teacher. June appointments are coveted.<br />
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6. It's a really good thing that Lucas is seeing audiology soon. I think he needs a new map. His new ear needs to be tweaked a little bit. I guess that's what frequent mapping appointments are for the first year.<br />
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7. We took Lucas to pick strawberries last week... he was really interested in picking the "orange" ones, and it was tough to convince him otherwise!<br />
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8. Lucas and I have some big plans for this summer... In addition to my ABC's of summer plan (more on that later), I'm looking forward to a little bit of <i>me</i> time while he's at camp. I want to read (finish) these books: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/If-Tree-Falls-Familys-Quest/dp/1558616624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307500043&sr=8-1">If a Tree Falls: A Family's to Hear and be Heard</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/If-Tree-Falls-Familys-Quest/dp/1558616624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307500043&sr=8-1">Sounds from Silence: Graeme Clark and the Bionic Ear Story</a>. Any other suggestions for hearing loss / CI books that I might enjoy?<br />
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9. Skip right to #10 for an interesting development in our family saga...<br />
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10. We're having a baby <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;">GIRL</span></i> in November! Lucas is going to be a big brother! Here she is!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QhJM4yoVGGo/Te7Xkfmk9II/AAAAAAAABjo/xowqGVPP9II/s1600/baby+drama+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QhJM4yoVGGo/Te7Xkfmk9II/AAAAAAAABjo/xowqGVPP9II/s320/baby+drama+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-9154177032285552572011-05-24T18:56:00.000-07:002011-05-24T18:56:53.762-07:00Ten on TuesdayAfter a short hiatus, I'm back with some updates!<br />
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1. Lucas has had a little language boom, like <i>today</i>. We've been working on "do" support, and he's finally using it unprompted. Instead of "Mommy, you want to play outside with me?", he's consistently asking, "Mommy, <i>do</i> you want to play outside with me?" He was even emphasizing the <i>do</i>.<br />
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2. While we were playing outside, he started to take off in his "pedal truck," (aka motorized car), and I asked him where he was going. He responded, "space, outer space." Where did he get that one?<br />
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3. When I was putting him to bed tonight, I said, "Goodnight, Lucaberry" (one of my nicknames for him). He said: "That's not my name. My name is Lucas... You can't call me that. You eat berries, like blueberries. But, I'm a boy. You can't eat me." Whoa. That blew me away.<br />
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4. Lucas has woken up the past 3 morning <b>dry</b>. I was so impressed the first day, but I didn't expect it the next day or the next. I'm just so floored that he's potty-trained during the day at all, that I've had <i>no</i> expectations for overnight. We'll see what happens tomorrow!<br />
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5. Lucas has officially bonded with his ear. He hardly touches it in the car anymore. In fact, the other day, when I took his new ear upon entering the car, he asked me, "Why are you taking my ear?"<br />
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6. While we were playing outside tonight, his new ear fell off. I took it for safe keeping, because I figured the wig tape had lost<i> </i>its stickiness, and I would replace it when we went back inside. He walked right over to me, and said, "I need my ear." I've been waiting for that moment for about 5 months now. So happy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vBk-VZa6CGw/TdxbGJCAH1I/AAAAAAAABiY/LPnT6pnybsY/s1600/ICD+Lucas2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vBk-VZa6CGw/TdxbGJCAH1I/AAAAAAAABiY/LPnT6pnybsY/s320/ICD+Lucas2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
7. Lucas stopped by at International Culture Day at our high school, and sat so still to have his face painted. He chose an elephant. Lucas was so excited that so many students knew his name! What can I say... we talk about him a lot, and his reputation certainly precedes him!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b9_mJ-4x2aY/TdxeT1p6ptI/AAAAAAAABic/Nliy4fuznrM/s1600/sushi1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b9_mJ-4x2aY/TdxeT1p6ptI/AAAAAAAABic/Nliy4fuznrM/s320/sushi1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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8. Lucas continues to eat great international food with us! Sunday night he enjoyed sushi. He ate an entire roll (6 pieces) of California roll and shrimp tempura. He was eating edamame like candy too. He was really into eating with (modified) chopsticks AND he was pretty successful too. I hope he never gives up his adventurous eating habits!<br />
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9. We picked up our first share from a local <a href="http://www.buckhillfarm.net/">CSA</a>. I'm so excited to pick up our produce directly from the farm, and to share that experience with Lucas. We got lettuce, arugula, tatsoi, bok choi, and radishes. It feels so good to buy fresh & local, and to try some great veggies that we normally wouldn't buy. Lucas liked seeing the farm and the chickens, but he wanted to know where the roosters were. I didn't have a good answer for him.<br />
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10. We have less than 3 weeks of school left. The students aren't the only ones counting down...PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-8155480886816137232011-04-24T18:21:00.000-07:002011-04-24T18:21:29.943-07:00Happy Easter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mbF1Dccnk5c/TbTK90XEFsI/AAAAAAAABg8/mI7-0xZtF0k/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mbF1Dccnk5c/TbTK90XEFsI/AAAAAAAABg8/mI7-0xZtF0k/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2011</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m3cDHopTje4/TbTLGE0aAbI/AAAAAAAABhA/e1Y4rXuyK44/s1600/easter+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m3cDHopTje4/TbTLGE0aAbI/AAAAAAAABhA/e1Y4rXuyK44/s1600/easter+2010.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2010</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ecxptmswcYA/TbTMIeAI8RI/AAAAAAAABhE/E8PlI6i2zxA/s1600/IMG_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ecxptmswcYA/TbTMIeAI8RI/AAAAAAAABhE/E8PlI6i2zxA/s320/IMG_0094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">traditional portrait in front of Oma's tree...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Easter!!!</span></div>PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238015183157060422.post-49605822030637203902011-04-19T19:23:00.000-07:002011-04-19T19:23:13.551-07:00Ten on Tuesday1. Lucas's ear is healing nicely. I'm just really hoping that it doesn't happen again before surgery. I'll know how to handle it though. The third time was an easy prediction, so the fourth time I think I'll just prescribe the antibiotics myself.<br />
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2. I still don't believe that Lucas is potty-trained. He's had a great week. Yay for not buying any more diapers!<br />
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3. This week's forecast is rain, rain and more rain. I'm ready for spring. I want to play outside with my kid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aDCTEClQ-rM/Ta48ftZCEFI/AAAAAAAABgg/SA-BJy25pns/s1600/on+the+go.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aDCTEClQ-rM/Ta48ftZCEFI/AAAAAAAABgg/SA-BJy25pns/s320/on+the+go.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4. Last weekend we somehow managed to fit in an Easter egg hunt amidst the rain. I don't think we'll be so lucky this weekend.<br />
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5. Now that Lucas is potty-trained, I'm able to send him to "summer camp" at his preschool! He'll be going twice a week, and I think it will be a good way to keep up with his school routine and give him some extra language opportunities!<br />
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6. Lucas has really been into drawing and coloring lately. I'm really impressed with his attention to detail and how he tries to color in the lines. He's also showing some interest in learning to write his name.<br />
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7. It's so fun to watch Lucas pick up incidental language. My favorite lately is how he starts his sentences with "well..."<br />
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8. Lucas makes things up all the time. My mom and I have decided that we have to compare the stories he tells us, because we never know if he's telling us the truth. I think he just has a wild imagination.<br />
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9. Lucas ate really well for dinner tonight. He ate salmon, couscous, steamed broccoli & half of an apple. AND he cleaned his plate. When he was done, he got down, stood on his tiptoes and said, "Look, I'm tall now. I'm big like you, daddy." What a great moment.<br />
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10. Just when I tell someone how easily Lucas goes to bed, and how he sleeps through the night, he makes a liar out of me. The past few nights have been really difficult trying to get him to go to sleep. This too shall pass, I hope.PolyglotMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359518388037465144noreply@blogger.com3