SET YOUR DVR'S (Just Kidding!)

Our episode of The Rachel Ray Show will be airing Tuesday September 29th. We just found out yesterday. We went into NYC on Friday for the taping of the episode where they showed a five minute piece about us. It was a fun day. The kids were excellent especially since we waited nearly three hours in the green room. We were walked into the studio while our clip was being played to the audience. We sat in the front row and Rachel asked us a few questions. It was all over pretty quickly once it started. I will give a full run down after it airs and I am allowed :)

As a side note, not that I really care, but while they were filming at our house for the week I was told to look "scrubby" (their word, not mine). No make up or hair done so you will see me in all my glory! You'll know why at the end.....

Our five minutes of fame is over......

PS The boys started their first day of preschool the same day. Pics and stories to follow...

I am amazed...

I am amazed daily by many things in my life. I thought I might jot them down. These are just a few...

I am amazed I have four beautiful, loving children.
I am amazed Frank and I have not only survived but thrived in the past 3 years :)
I am amazed a baby doesn't know how to breathe out of it's mouth when it's born.
I am amazed by how little sleep I can survive on.
I am amazed Frank finally finished the basement. Remember?
I am amazed my deaf son talks and hears and listens and has even perfected SELECTIVE listening just like his peers!
I am amazed my three year olds are potty trained for the most part.
I am amazed by the generosity of most people.
I am amazed by the ignorance of many people.
I am amazed by the kindness of strangers.
I am amazed by the not so kindness of many.
I am amazed at how resilient children are.
I am amazed to watch the world through the eyes of people who don't know some of lifes hard truths yet.
I am amazed at how quickly life can change.
I am amazed at the amount of love three little boys can express toward one little girl.
I am amazed at how easily I am reduced to tears. Luckily,the are usually tears of happiness!
I am amazed I will be 38 years old on Tuesday!
I am amazed at how much one can accomplish is a short amount of time if you really put your mind to it.

It's so hard to remember to slow down and take it all in on a daily basis. Life seems to get in the way. But do me a favor today, take time to just be amazed by something wonderful in your life!

The Neglected

I feel like my blog is being neglected lately. Between doctors appointments and just our every day life it has been hectic. We are all doing well. Calleigh is just about 10 pounds! (Finally) We visited the craniofacial team this week and we were told we don't need to return for a year. THis is great because it means she doesn't have any other issues resulting from her incomplete lip! YIPPEE!!! She was hopefully have the lip repair done in the near future. (he's the only dr we have to see, the plastic surgeon). ANother issue has come up with Calleigh but hopefully, it's nothing. She might have some Kidney reflux. We have to have a test done. If she does it's something most kids grow out of in a year. I just feel horrible because she has endured alot in her short three months. I just want her to be done with the doctors for a while. Once we hit 15 pounds we can have her colostomy reversed and then her lip. Two more surgeries. Two more agonizing days to look forward to :(

We are so lucky her health problems are all fixable. It could be much worse but sometimes it's just hard. But she is a happy little girl. All smiles lately. She lights up when she sees her brothers. She already knows their voices and faces. They adore her. She is a crazy eater lately. Never know when she will eat or how much but she eats alot.

The boys start St Catherine's on Tuesday. They are sooooo looking forward to it. We head into NYC to film Rachel Ray on Tuesday as well. It's also my birthday. We are for sure having a packed day. Luckily, Frank is off for the day to enjoy the first day of school and Rachel Ray.

I'll be posting lots of pics of the first day and from the Rachel Ray Show next week. We don't know the air date yet but I'll be sure to post it so you all can set your DVR's!!

OMG! And Cormac's audiology report...

We are finished with The Rachel Ray Show except for going in to the taping next week. So much fun and excitement. We could not have had a better experience. I signed a confidentiality agreement so can't give the details until next week. But it's GREAT! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! We are truly blessed.

I came across a list of Cormac's words that used to hang on the fridge. It's dated September 2007. That's three months post implant. Here's where he was:
Receptive Language:
Meow-signs cow
Ha Ha Ha for monkey
Yeah- claps hands
Dad-signs Dad
Beep Beep-signs car
up puts hand in air
Qucak-signs Duck
Hop Hop Hop-signs rabbit
Shh- puts head down to sleep
Bear-signs bear
"get me the ball" -went and got basketball
Elmo- signs Elmo
Bye Bye -waves bye
owie- signs owie
apple-signs apple
woof woof-signs dog
horse/ney ney

Expressive:
Ahh Ahh for airplane
Ha Ha for Monkey noise
Mmm
Bu for Ball
Pointed to cow and said MMM
Saw Rabbit and said Ha Ha Ha for Hop Hop Hop
Said Moo.

This isn't a comprehensive list but most of what he was doing at the time. My how things have changed in such a short time. Today he is having full conversations and says words I didn't even know a three year old would know!

We are heading to NYU to get mapped because I think this last one is just not working well for him. He seems bothered by it and tht not what we want.

Oh and I promised to give the results from his 2 year audiology evaluation.

Speech awareness thresholds right ear: 15dBHL for /ba/, 10dBHL for /sh/ 25dBHL for /s/

Speeach awareness thresholds for left ear 15dBHL for /ba,sh/ 20dBHL for /s/

Multisyllabic Lexical Neighborhood Test (MLNT)
Description
This is an open-set test of multisyllabic word recognition. The word list consists of 12 lexically easy words and 12 lexically difficult words (low frequency occurring words from dense neighborhoods). The test is administered via tape and is scored by both number of words correct and number of phonemes correct.
2 years post
MLNT words (easy) 92% (at 18 months post implant he was 75%)
MLNT phonemes 98% (at 18 months post implant he was 88%)
MLNT words (hard) 100% (at 18 months post implant he was 75%)
MLNT phonemes 100% (at 18 months post implant he was 85%)

You can see he improved from 18 months post implant to 2 years post implant.

At 2 years post implant Common Phrases (quiet) 100% (he was not tested at 18 months for common phrases)
At two years post implant Common Phrases (noise) 100%

He did the same in noise and quiet. This makes me VERY happy.

Taping for TV

We taped for the Rachel Ray Show on Friday. It was exciting and fun but also exhausting. They were here for the entire day. The boys were involved in the morning with me. Then it was just me for a while and when Frank got home from work it was his turn. I am not allowed to tell what we are doing but it is going to be great! Tomorrow they will be here again and we have to be home too. The rest of the week we can be in and out while the crew is here..... Big mystery. I am not really sure what is happening either. I get no details. I just know something is going on. They should be done by Satuday.

We headed to the beach for the long weekend when we were done taping. Aunt Juanita, Uncle Tommy and Corinne are home from Texas for good! We were finally able to go to the beach together. The boys were just lovin' Corinne. She is a doll and I am so excited we will get to see her all the time now. Talk about a crowded house. Frank and I and four kids plus one dog, Tommy Juanita and Corinne and another dog and Maggie and her dog. To say full house in an understatement. We had a ball though so it's worth it.

Now that things are calming down a bit I will be able to keep the blog more up to date and get back to basics. Just received Cormac's NYU evaluation report from his last audiology appt. I will give full details maybe tomorrow but lets just say there were plenty of 100%! Makes me so happy. Cormac has not really been himself the last week. Not sure what is going on with him.. Maybe just so many changes recently. New baby, no more Summit, not as much alone time with me, baby back in hospital and a lot of upheaval in his normal routine. We have had a few times when he didn't want his ears on by the end of the day. This is a first. I also think his last map is not sitting well with him. I am going to call NYU tomorrow and see if we can make a appointment sooner rather than later and see if that helps. Or maybe he is just testing his boundaries like your typical three year old. Hard to tell but it doesn't seem like him. I am hoping now that summer is ending and we will be home again like usual he will get back to normal.

Gotta get ready for bed. ANother big day of filming tomorrow....

Rachel Ray

Ok, can't give too many details right now but the Rachel Ray Show is coming to my house on Friday. They will also be there Tuesday through Saturday next week. It's a long story of how it happened and I will be sure to give all the details and when it will air.

I am excited and nervous. We are getting a wonderful surprise. I am also hoping when they film on Friday (they are doing background on the family) I can use it as an opportunity to talk about Cochlear Implants and hearing loss. Anything to help bring awareness to the subject. Not to mention, if the talk to Cormac on camera and the whole world will see how amazing he is doing with his implants!