Today we were sitting in the family room and playing with a talking cookie jar where you put a cookie in the jar and it says something back. We were working on the listening game, which is how we perform sound tests in the sound booth. Basically, Kevin holds a cookie to his ear, I say 'oo' or another ling sound covering my mouth, and when he hears it, he repeats it and puts the cookie in the jar. He is very good at this game and we were just dusting off his skills since he is going in for another mapping in a month. The cookie jar talks in a cartoon voice and says things such as, 'do you want to play with me?', 'Let's count cookies', etc. Well, Kevin got bored of the game and moved over and started playing with an etch-a-sketch. All of a sudden, the cookie jar said, 'Can I have another?' in the funny cartoon voice, and Kevin said 'yes' and immediately put a cookie in the jar! I was amazed that he tuned in to the jar, understood the words, and then performed the action! Sometimes I wonder how much language he is getting from other sources, and this confirms that he clearly hears and understands from a lot of different sources.
He is putting more and more 2 word sentences together too. Today he said 'off shoe' for 'take my shoe off'. It is fun to see him explore more sentences. His comprehension is also getting better and better. In therapy last week, the therapist was hiding objects in a box and Kevin would have to say what the object was. At one point, she just said 'I have something that you can roll and throw' and Kevin immediately said 'ball'. We just looked at each other in amazement.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
more vocab and a great compliment
Kevin really seems to be having a language explosion these days and he tries to say just about everything we ask of him. It is really fun to witness! He pointed at a goose in a book and for months he has called it 'duck' and I correct him and say 'goose'. Well today he said 'goose' very clearly! Yea!!! He is also putting many 2 word sentences together. His new favorite is 'doggy pillow' for his pillow, but it sounds more like 'dogee pilbow'. It is really cute! We were at a superbowl party today and the family had an alphabet chart up and I couldn't believe how many of the pictures on the chart he knew! I would say about 60% he knew and could tell me. I am so proud of him!
I also got a great compliment about him tonight. The person didn't know it was a compliment, but it brought tears to my eyes to hear her say it. She is a mom in Kevin's playgroup and I have only known her for about 3 months. She has a little girl Kevin's age and she was telling me her daughter said a 4 word sentence today and she couldn't believe the length of it! I was saying that Kevin was just getting to 2 words and joking that he was behind. She, very seriously, said that because her daughter is a girl, she is an early talker and Kevin isn't behind. I looked at her and said, 'yea, and he is deaf too'. She just paused and said that she completely forgot about that and never even remembers it because it is so 'normal' with him. I know that I feel the same way, but to have an outsider say that to me and mean it just made me stop and think about how grateful I am for the technology that has allowed Kevin to function like a hearing person. It is truly remarkable!
I also got a great compliment about him tonight. The person didn't know it was a compliment, but it brought tears to my eyes to hear her say it. She is a mom in Kevin's playgroup and I have only known her for about 3 months. She has a little girl Kevin's age and she was telling me her daughter said a 4 word sentence today and she couldn't believe the length of it! I was saying that Kevin was just getting to 2 words and joking that he was behind. She, very seriously, said that because her daughter is a girl, she is an early talker and Kevin isn't behind. I looked at her and said, 'yea, and he is deaf too'. She just paused and said that she completely forgot about that and never even remembers it because it is so 'normal' with him. I know that I feel the same way, but to have an outsider say that to me and mean it just made me stop and think about how grateful I am for the technology that has allowed Kevin to function like a hearing person. It is truly remarkable!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A Step Toward Independence
Kevin made huge progress today! While driving in the car, he knocked his coil off of his head and he managed to put it back on his head! Yea!!! This is the first time he has put the coil back on his head. He did this numerous times today, so it wasn't just a fluke. He can't get the ear-piece yet, but the fact that he can put the coil on by himself means he is one step closer to not having to have me be right by him in case it falls off. I am so proud of him!
He also did something really cute in the car today. We have been working on legs apart and legs together in gymnastics, so we were driving and all of a sudden I hear 'open... close, open... close' and I look back and he is moving his legs apart and saying 'open' and then closing them and saying 'close'. Now, it sounded more like 'oden...dooze', but I understood him and he was so proud of himself. He is really making huge strides these days. He even said 'help me' today too. I feel like he is making a lot of progress on expressive language right now.
He also did something really cute in the car today. We have been working on legs apart and legs together in gymnastics, so we were driving and all of a sudden I hear 'open... close, open... close' and I look back and he is moving his legs apart and saying 'open' and then closing them and saying 'close'. Now, it sounded more like 'oden...dooze', but I understood him and he was so proud of himself. He is really making huge strides these days. He even said 'help me' today too. I feel like he is making a lot of progress on expressive language right now.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
made my day
Kevin sure does know how to put a smile on my face. He also knows how to get me frustrated, and that is how this story starts...
He is getting over a cold and is getting his last molars in, so this past week he has been particularly fussy. I also think he is starting to get frustrated with not being able to communicate as well as he wants to, but hopefully that will just continue to get better. Anyway, I was getting pretty tired of his whining and crying this morning and trying to get the kids ready to go out and all of a sudden, clear as a bell, he said 'more ice'. We all stopped and looked and he was looking at us holding up his mesh thing that I put ice in to help with his teething. I was so excited and completely forgot about the fussing. I gladly gave him more ice! His speech seems to be coming along really well right now. He also said 'doll' really well tonight too. I even got him to say 'I love you' having him repeat each word after I said it. Now, that sounded more like 'I da uuu', but he did know what I was trying to have him say and he got a big smile afterwards. At least he is really trying to say everything I ask of him.
More ice.... his first 'prefect speech' 2 word sentence! He really does know how to put a smile on my face after a long day! :)
He is getting over a cold and is getting his last molars in, so this past week he has been particularly fussy. I also think he is starting to get frustrated with not being able to communicate as well as he wants to, but hopefully that will just continue to get better. Anyway, I was getting pretty tired of his whining and crying this morning and trying to get the kids ready to go out and all of a sudden, clear as a bell, he said 'more ice'. We all stopped and looked and he was looking at us holding up his mesh thing that I put ice in to help with his teething. I was so excited and completely forgot about the fussing. I gladly gave him more ice! His speech seems to be coming along really well right now. He also said 'doll' really well tonight too. I even got him to say 'I love you' having him repeat each word after I said it. Now, that sounded more like 'I da uuu', but he did know what I was trying to have him say and he got a big smile afterwards. At least he is really trying to say everything I ask of him.
More ice.... his first 'prefect speech' 2 word sentence! He really does know how to put a smile on my face after a long day! :)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
An auditory child
Kevin is starting to do something that only someone with CIs can do. He has quite a personality and he is really starting to crack me up! Let me first give you some background information on this story:
We are huge fans of the Supernanny. We use the 'naughty corner' with both of our children and it has proven to be extremely effective. If either one of the kids are misbehaving, we give them a warning and if the behavior continues, we put them in the naughty corner. Well, Kevin has always been a huge challenge to diaper and dress. He fusses and throws fits all the time. He has gotten better, but there are times when it is still difficult. The hardest time to change Kevin is right after his bath, because his ears are off and he can't hear me. I have become very impatient with this behavior, so I have started to grab the processor, put it on his head, tell him he is going to go to the naughty corner if this continues, and then remove the processor, get him dressed, and be done with it.
Well, now everytime he acts up without his ears on, I just move to grab the processor and he immediately lays down and behaves. I don't even have to put them to his head, I just reach for them! He even did this in the bath tonight when he was starting to act up over something. It just cracks me up that Kevin acts like he doesn't understand me without his hearing. Trust me, there are plenty of gestures, facial expressions, and mouthing of words for him to get the gist, but he cleverly acts as if he has no idea what is going on until he gets his sound input. I know I shouldn't get a smile on my face for this, but I really do. He is truly an auditory child!!!
We are huge fans of the Supernanny. We use the 'naughty corner' with both of our children and it has proven to be extremely effective. If either one of the kids are misbehaving, we give them a warning and if the behavior continues, we put them in the naughty corner. Well, Kevin has always been a huge challenge to diaper and dress. He fusses and throws fits all the time. He has gotten better, but there are times when it is still difficult. The hardest time to change Kevin is right after his bath, because his ears are off and he can't hear me. I have become very impatient with this behavior, so I have started to grab the processor, put it on his head, tell him he is going to go to the naughty corner if this continues, and then remove the processor, get him dressed, and be done with it.
Well, now everytime he acts up without his ears on, I just move to grab the processor and he immediately lays down and behaves. I don't even have to put them to his head, I just reach for them! He even did this in the bath tonight when he was starting to act up over something. It just cracks me up that Kevin acts like he doesn't understand me without his hearing. Trust me, there are plenty of gestures, facial expressions, and mouthing of words for him to get the gist, but he cleverly acts as if he has no idea what is going on until he gets his sound input. I know I shouldn't get a smile on my face for this, but I really do. He is truly an auditory child!!!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The future American Idol
Ever since Kevin started hearing with his CIs, he has always loved music! He seems to enjoy music much more than our hearing son. I was always told that CI patients couldn't fully embrace music because of the finite number of pitches they hear. They said CI patients wouldn't truly be able to appreciate it. It doesn't seem to be true for Kevin. I added a video clip of him singing a few weeks ago. Now, he actually does sing and say the exact words to Patty-cake and he know about 3 other songs by heart, but he will never let me get those on film. In this clip, he is just belting out his rock and roll voice while 'playing' the guitar. I think it is very funny because he is in his own little world thinking he is a rock star! You never know, maybe he will be on American Idol. When we brought him home from the hospital, Elliot Yamin was still on AI. I remember thinking, well he is deaf in one ear and he is doing ok. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Indeed, it isn't! Enjoy.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Happy 2008
I can't believe that Christmas is over and it is already 2008!!! The boys had a great time on Christmas morning and enjoyed opening all the gifts. Actually, Kevin got stuck playing with the kitchen, so Ethan happily opened up the rest of his gifts.
And now it is 2008. I can't believe we made it to this year!!! While 2007 was a miracle year for us, it was also a very challenging year and I am looking forward to seeing what 2008 will bring. I am hoping to hear the words 'I love you' in 2008. I am hoping Kevin will be able to put his own coil back on his head when it falls off in 2008. Basically, I am looking forward to witnessing the huge progress in Kevin's language development that any typical child does between the ages of 1 and 2. He is pretty much caught up with his age in language development, but the speech is still somewhat unclear. I feel like he is on the verge of a break-through and it will be coming soon. I can't wait!!!
Happy 2008 and may this year be the best one yet!!!
And now it is 2008. I can't believe we made it to this year!!! While 2007 was a miracle year for us, it was also a very challenging year and I am looking forward to seeing what 2008 will bring. I am hoping to hear the words 'I love you' in 2008. I am hoping Kevin will be able to put his own coil back on his head when it falls off in 2008. Basically, I am looking forward to witnessing the huge progress in Kevin's language development that any typical child does between the ages of 1 and 2. He is pretty much caught up with his age in language development, but the speech is still somewhat unclear. I feel like he is on the verge of a break-through and it will be coming soon. I can't wait!!!
Happy 2008 and may this year be the best one yet!!!
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