So last night was a combination of Christmas eve and going to the dentist to get cavities filled for me. I was excited for Lillian to receive her hearing aids and nervous at the same time. Part of me wants the hearing aids to fix every miss communication we have right away, but I know that won't be the case. Plus they are one more thing to worry about. I cleared my calender of anything else, had a friend pick up Elliott from school and dedicated this day to Lillian(and Jackson promised to be his angelic self).
We got to the appointment right on time after dropping Elliott off at Kindergarten. We had to wait a few minutes while the audiologist made some last minute adjustments. Lillian danced around and piled up books. I watched her and thought how her world was going to open up so soon to different sounds and noise. We put them in and they adjusted them. Doing what is called a real ear measure, to make sure the aids were making sound according to what we think is Lillian's range. I say think because we won't know what Lillian is actually hearing until we get scheduled to do the test at UCLA. The other test we have done are subjective to Lillian's mood.
She liked them in for the first while, heard us say her name and Jackson make a cooing noise. Then we took them out to go over the parts and cleaning. She climbed under the chair and hung out there for a while. One we finally pulled her out she got a snack while I tried to put them in her ears. I will get better at this I have already.
After we left the office and she heard the water in the fountain, cars, and other sounds more clearly. She was on over load. The way home we distracted her with toys to keep her from pulling them out. We dropped Steven off at work and headed home. Came home and got her out of the car, she heard an airplane she signed to me. Birds also! I finally got her inside and we had some down time. Starting 10:50 she started to pull them out, but then wanted them back in. Her speech therapist was coming at 11, so I put them in and gave her a quick snack. She sat for over seven minutes and made some new sounds while playing with a barn yard animal puzzle. Baa, oink, moo, peep. She can say Baa really well, thats all right now. There were other games for her to play. Toys came out of the bag one at a time. This greatly confused Lillian who wanted them all out at once, but she played along. She made an O sound :-) and said mor for more and ple for please (those two are words she learned forever ago to get what she wanted). The therapist is use to a completely oral program, I could tell she was a little worried about the amount Lillian was using sign language (just basic signs). I think the sign will help Lillian bridge the gap. She is almost three with the verbal skills of a 1 year old. Now tell me that would not be frustrating.
She pulled her left aid, which doesnt have the best fit out once and the therapist popped it back in quickly. She showed me how to give it a little twist to get it in quicker. Lillian played while I questioned about preschool programs. I am reluctant to send lillian to a five day a week program. She is so young, but has so much catching up to do. Our school district has a two day a week program, but that is for all sort of delayed/ non typical children. The five day a week program is a 20 minute drive and is specifially for deaf and hard of hearing children there are not many children in the program right now, Lillian might be the only one. There is one child that comes in December and another that can come in January.
After Lunch I try to get her to nap. Read books go nap I sign and tell her. I took out her aids and put her down. She jumped out minutes later. She still needs naps but fights them sooooo. I put her aids back in and turn on a movie on in hopes she will pass out. Lilo and stitch, she lights up being able to hear it, loves the music. I do the dishes take care of baby and big brother. She finishes her movie and has more energy than I. I think each day I am going to work on a simple word or command. Today I picked bye bye or good bye. she waves normally, but I asked her to say it. Everytime I left the room I said good bye. She finds sissors Elliott was using. She is told to sit down (no sign just spoken) and I gave her paper. She cuts away, happy as can be. Baby Jackson watchs her energy with happiness. Jackson needs a diaper change. I tell her and sign diaper, she runs to get me one. Then notices the diaper pail had run out of plastic liner so she brings me the trash can from my bathroom. Yes, she really is thoughtful. As she is dancing out of Jackson's room I say Lillian say good bye. She turns waves and says good be!!!!!!!!!!!!! music to my ears! Yeah! After she runs around for a few mor minutes- I think is it worth loading up the kids in the car returning my library book and driving around till she sleeps. Yes! Half an hour later (yes it takes a while to get three in the car) we drop off my book and drive till she passes out. I pull over pull out her hearing aids and head for quite nap time.
Steven just message me to see if I can get a sitter for tonight and go do my returns to Target and then go out to dinner with him! Yes! Wait can we leave a sitter in charge of the hearing aids... ieie. Let's see if one is available. They are water proof and covered by insurance after all. I think I need a nap now!
TTFN (ps will post photos later! Hearing aids are purple but the ear mold the part that fits right into the ear is HOT PINK. We ordered light pink, if these fit we will switch later)
