Wednesday, July 28, 2010
It's Three Years!!
July 23rd marked the three year anniversary of Cormac's implant activation. I have lots to say and plenty of pictures to post along with video. Today we go for his 3 year speech evaluation. I am not too worried. I will give a full update ASAP.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Our summer continues with lots of fun. Most of our time is spent at the beach. I love how my kids love the beach. It reminds me of my childhood and I feel so blessed to be able to give my kids the opportunity to spend so much time at the beach and ocean. We are so lucky my mother in law lives 2 blocks from the beach!
We joined the reading club at the library for the summer. We have been putting in a minimum of 20 minutes a day of reading but really it's way more. We choose a theme a week and take out books to go along. We had a week about the beach and ocean, a week about Vermont. I find it fascintating how quickly my children memorize books. Honestly, if I read it one time they remember almost every word. God forbid I skip a word they quickly correct me! I love sitting on the couch on the porch with them reading book after book. They ask SO MANY questions sometimes it takes me 40 minutes to read a short book! But I know the questions are good to ask. SHows me they are really paying attention.
I have been working on sight words with Cormac because he seems the most interested. He found sight word flash cards and brought them to me and said "Mommy, learn with me". Within a minute he read "is" "an" "that" "no" and "me". There were more but I can't remember. He sounded the words out. Actually, on Monday we were at a repass for Frank's Aunt Catherine and at the restaurant there was a sign for Harp beer. He read the word Harp. I honestly think he will be fully reading shortly. This will be one giant hurdle for him!
Now, I always like to write about the funny things they do or say. Here's some of the latest
Cormac "Mom, come sit outside with me and do rhyming words"
Me: "Ok, what rhymes with chair?
Cormac: "lair"
Me: "do you know what a lair is or are you just making up a word?" (somtimes they make nonsense words up by just changing the first letter)
Cormac: (In his best DUH, mom, voice) "Mom, everyone knows a lair is where a dragon lives".
Me: "alright I was just checking!"
Cormac: "Hair, pear, stair, share"
Guess he can rhyme that word!
I said before Cormac is usually dressed as a princess for some part of the day. Well, he finally converted Colin and now has a partner, errr princess, in crime. So they were both dressed up Colin was Aurora and Cormac was Ariel. They come in the kitchen to tell me I was not dressed fancy enough to go to the ball. What did I do? Walked upstairs and pulled my wedding gown out of the closet. I put it on, veil and all, and walked back into the kitchen. They both nearly lost their minds. I heard "mom, you are so beautiful" "that's the most pretty and sparkliest dress I ever saw" I was allowed to go to the ball. I wound up cooking grilled cheese dinner in my wedding gown. They all got a kick out of it. I figure, whatever makes these little ones happy, right? Really, what is ever going to happen to the dress? I might as well get some use out of it. I think I might be bride this Halloween and wear it! I forgot how much I love my wedding gown!
Here are the two beauties....
I am not sure where this is from but I kept hearing the boys sing "don't go to sleep with a frown in your pocket" But that is all the words they knew. I googled it and apparently it was on the show 30 Rock. I don't watch so I don't know for sure. But I learned the rest of the words and here is Cormac singing it. Whenever I film him he doesn't do his best work :) but it's pretty good.
So, I have a question for other parents who read this blog. On average, how many questions per hour do you think your kids ask you? I mean, my kids ask questions non stop. All day. All night. Nothing stops them. Sometimes I compare it to a battering ram because the three of them fire questions at me at the same time. THey jockey for time and get upset when the other takes their turn. I know part of it is the "multiple" thing. I LOVE how curious my kids are and know they are little sponges and really retain all I say to them but some days I am like "ok, let's take a break!" I counted today in the car. We had travelled three blocks and I they had already asked my about 20 questions! (Mom, what kind of tree is that with the green things growing on it?" "What are the green things called?" "are they called green pine cones? because they look like green pine cones" "what street are we on?" "what road do we take to get to our house?") Keep in mind there are three of them so they don't always want to know the same things! They are all very good questions about things they want to know more about but it's exhausting answering them all!
Just curious if all four year olds ask as many questions!
A few random pictures.
My knights in shining armor! We are in a SERIOUS knight and dragon phase. All day long it goes on. Their imaginations amaze me!
The countdown begins....July 23rd is Cormac's THREE YEAR Hearing Anniversary!!!!
We joined the reading club at the library for the summer. We have been putting in a minimum of 20 minutes a day of reading but really it's way more. We choose a theme a week and take out books to go along. We had a week about the beach and ocean, a week about Vermont. I find it fascintating how quickly my children memorize books. Honestly, if I read it one time they remember almost every word. God forbid I skip a word they quickly correct me! I love sitting on the couch on the porch with them reading book after book. They ask SO MANY questions sometimes it takes me 40 minutes to read a short book! But I know the questions are good to ask. SHows me they are really paying attention.
I have been working on sight words with Cormac because he seems the most interested. He found sight word flash cards and brought them to me and said "Mommy, learn with me". Within a minute he read "is" "an" "that" "no" and "me". There were more but I can't remember. He sounded the words out. Actually, on Monday we were at a repass for Frank's Aunt Catherine and at the restaurant there was a sign for Harp beer. He read the word Harp. I honestly think he will be fully reading shortly. This will be one giant hurdle for him!
Now, I always like to write about the funny things they do or say. Here's some of the latest
Cormac "Mom, come sit outside with me and do rhyming words"
Me: "Ok, what rhymes with chair?
Cormac: "lair"
Me: "do you know what a lair is or are you just making up a word?" (somtimes they make nonsense words up by just changing the first letter)
Cormac: (In his best DUH, mom, voice) "Mom, everyone knows a lair is where a dragon lives".
Me: "alright I was just checking!"
Cormac: "Hair, pear, stair, share"
Guess he can rhyme that word!
I said before Cormac is usually dressed as a princess for some part of the day. Well, he finally converted Colin and now has a partner, errr princess, in crime. So they were both dressed up Colin was Aurora and Cormac was Ariel. They come in the kitchen to tell me I was not dressed fancy enough to go to the ball. What did I do? Walked upstairs and pulled my wedding gown out of the closet. I put it on, veil and all, and walked back into the kitchen. They both nearly lost their minds. I heard "mom, you are so beautiful" "that's the most pretty and sparkliest dress I ever saw" I was allowed to go to the ball. I wound up cooking grilled cheese dinner in my wedding gown. They all got a kick out of it. I figure, whatever makes these little ones happy, right? Really, what is ever going to happen to the dress? I might as well get some use out of it. I think I might be bride this Halloween and wear it! I forgot how much I love my wedding gown!
Here are the two beauties....
I am not sure where this is from but I kept hearing the boys sing "don't go to sleep with a frown in your pocket" But that is all the words they knew. I googled it and apparently it was on the show 30 Rock. I don't watch so I don't know for sure. But I learned the rest of the words and here is Cormac singing it. Whenever I film him he doesn't do his best work :) but it's pretty good.
So, I have a question for other parents who read this blog. On average, how many questions per hour do you think your kids ask you? I mean, my kids ask questions non stop. All day. All night. Nothing stops them. Sometimes I compare it to a battering ram because the three of them fire questions at me at the same time. THey jockey for time and get upset when the other takes their turn. I know part of it is the "multiple" thing. I LOVE how curious my kids are and know they are little sponges and really retain all I say to them but some days I am like "ok, let's take a break!" I counted today in the car. We had travelled three blocks and I they had already asked my about 20 questions! (Mom, what kind of tree is that with the green things growing on it?" "What are the green things called?" "are they called green pine cones? because they look like green pine cones" "what street are we on?" "what road do we take to get to our house?") Keep in mind there are three of them so they don't always want to know the same things! They are all very good questions about things they want to know more about but it's exhausting answering them all!
Just curious if all four year olds ask as many questions!
A few random pictures.
My knights in shining armor! We are in a SERIOUS knight and dragon phase. All day long it goes on. Their imaginations amaze me!
The countdown begins....July 23rd is Cormac's THREE YEAR Hearing Anniversary!!!!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!
We had our long awaited neurology appointment today for Calleigh. It is really the only specialist she hasn't seen except for Endocrinology but we are seeing them Friday. With all her issues my amazing pediatrician wanted me to see the neurologist so we didnt' have any more unwanted surprises. My greatest fear was something was wrong neurologically and that was causing some of her delays. I went alone to the appointment and realized as I was walking in I really wish I was not alone. It seems to be trend for me to learn really bad news when I am alone. But I couldn't change it so I went in to meet the doctor.
The doctor was down right amazing. She spend over an hour and half with me and Calleigh. She went over every little thing I could even think of and took time to answer all of my questions and concerns. Bottom line, there is no reason to think Calleigh won't be just fine. Yes, she is delayed (mostly her gross motor skills) but the doctor thinks she will catch up. Her delays are not being caused by any neurological problem. Her brain MRI showed nothing to indicate any issues. She does have benign hydrocephalus but it't not on her brain so it requires no intervention. It's actually between her skull and skin which is why her veins in her forehead are more prominent than most peoples. It was resolve itself. Lots of people have it but don't know it because they never had a reason for a brain MRI.
Her ability to crawl, walk etc is from having some low tone but NOT coming from her brain. This is HUGE. This means her brain knows what to do and will eventually do it.
THe doctor actually told me she was surprised at how much Calleigh could do for all she has been through this year. On paper, it looks pretty bad. She was not expecting the happy, laughing, social, smiling baby she encountered! Calleigh was her usual charming self. She flashed her dimples like a champ and won over another doctor and staff!
We will continue with her physical therapy and push her to get stronger and stronger. All in all it could not have gone better. I am going to sleep a little better tonight....
The doctor was down right amazing. She spend over an hour and half with me and Calleigh. She went over every little thing I could even think of and took time to answer all of my questions and concerns. Bottom line, there is no reason to think Calleigh won't be just fine. Yes, she is delayed (mostly her gross motor skills) but the doctor thinks she will catch up. Her delays are not being caused by any neurological problem. Her brain MRI showed nothing to indicate any issues. She does have benign hydrocephalus but it't not on her brain so it requires no intervention. It's actually between her skull and skin which is why her veins in her forehead are more prominent than most peoples. It was resolve itself. Lots of people have it but don't know it because they never had a reason for a brain MRI.
Her ability to crawl, walk etc is from having some low tone but NOT coming from her brain. This is HUGE. This means her brain knows what to do and will eventually do it.
THe doctor actually told me she was surprised at how much Calleigh could do for all she has been through this year. On paper, it looks pretty bad. She was not expecting the happy, laughing, social, smiling baby she encountered! Calleigh was her usual charming self. She flashed her dimples like a champ and won over another doctor and staff!
We will continue with her physical therapy and push her to get stronger and stronger. All in all it could not have gone better. I am going to sleep a little better tonight....
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Vermont
Vermont or Remont as Colin likes to call it, is full of fun. We learned how to fish which taught the words "fising rod", casting out the line, reeling in a fish, patience because fishing requires it, "bait" as in worms because fresh water fish like to eat them. We learned the difference between fresh water and salt water. We learned tons of things on our vacation.
We drove in NJ, NY and Vermont so we learned that NJ is the Garden State, NY is the Empire State and Vermont is the Green Mountain State. I showed them on a map where the three states were and how we drove there (a puzzle map of the US)
We learned Vermont is where maple syrup is made. We ate maple butter and it is now a favorite of Colin. (I have always loved it!)
Cormac learned to jump in the water and go totally under. I mean with NO FEAR!! He went from not wetting his face or head to launching himself into the deep end with me or Frank waiting for him. And he doesnt know how to swim yet!
But most of all we had fun. Lots of fun with lots of family. Both my sisters and their families came with us. My Uncle Bill and Aunt Lee hosted us all at their home. We couldn't have had better hosts. I love and look forward to every 4th of July spent in the mountains. I can't remember how many years we have been going but I am pretty sure it is more than 11 at this point. To see all nine cousins all together for an extended amount of time is great. The boys were fascinated to wake up every morning and see everyone together. Colin said he wanted to live there forever with everyone!
Click here to see all the amazing pictures.
We drove in NJ, NY and Vermont so we learned that NJ is the Garden State, NY is the Empire State and Vermont is the Green Mountain State. I showed them on a map where the three states were and how we drove there (a puzzle map of the US)
We learned Vermont is where maple syrup is made. We ate maple butter and it is now a favorite of Colin. (I have always loved it!)
Cormac learned to jump in the water and go totally under. I mean with NO FEAR!! He went from not wetting his face or head to launching himself into the deep end with me or Frank waiting for him. And he doesnt know how to swim yet!
But most of all we had fun. Lots of fun with lots of family. Both my sisters and their families came with us. My Uncle Bill and Aunt Lee hosted us all at their home. We couldn't have had better hosts. I love and look forward to every 4th of July spent in the mountains. I can't remember how many years we have been going but I am pretty sure it is more than 11 at this point. To see all nine cousins all together for an extended amount of time is great. The boys were fascinated to wake up every morning and see everyone together. Colin said he wanted to live there forever with everyone!
Click here to see all the amazing pictures.
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