Expressive Language

Here is more from the little notebook I found....

Expressive language 4 months post activation:

Hi
Momo (more).
"I" for light
uh for up
Ah Ah Ah Ah for airplane (all you parents of implanted kids know this sound!)
He He He for Monkey noise
Hop Hop Hop for rabbit but he didn't put the "P' on the end
ooo ooo for choo choo
ow for meow for cat
rubs belly and says "mmmm" when eats
Bye

Then I wrote "he has approximations for words that are hard to write down" Certain sounds can mean many words.

You should see the big jump he made in 4 weeks in December.

I will put the rest up in future posts.

Found this...receptive language

While searching heaven and earth to try and find my misplaced passport and social security card I came across a notebook I was keeping for Cormac. It was labeled "receptive" on the front and "expressive" on the back. It lists the dates of when I wrote it down and how far past activation. I forgot I even kept this notebook. How I forgot I don't know but I thought I would share some of it. I have been asked lots of times by Mom's of recently implanted children when he started saying certain things. At this point I can't even remember! Three years later and it seems like a lifetime ago.

Might be boring to read but I want to get it down so I can remember later on.

Cormac had no access to sound prior to activation. He was profound in both ears. As described to me "He couldn't hear a jet engine if he was standing next to it". Hearing aids did not give him any benefit. By the time he was activated he understood a good 200 signs and could do about that many as well. It was easy to confirm he understood a word because he would sign it when we said it.

Activation July 2007
Receptive language 11/2007:

Mom
Dad
Dog
Up
Down
Touchdown
1
2
3
4
5
car
tree
leaf
bear
elmo
train
rabbit
yeah
apple
fork
spoon
cup
raisin
cat
bird
squirrel
cow
chicken
duck
ghost
witch
penguin
turkey
in
open
close
door
window
shirt
shoe
sock
pants
hand
eyes
ears
nose
teeth
toe
foot
leg
tongue
head
frog
horse
lion
elephant
hat
coat
bath
water
face
toothbrush
brush
push
pull
monkey
ball
airplane
boat
plate
bus
mile
cracker
cookie
banana
truck
moon
microwave
bike
bye bye
hi
grandma
meema
pop pop
grandpa
sun
football
owie
baby
doll
sleep
pumpkin
glasses
shark
snake
tray
eat
drink
circle
sheep
A
B
C
No
yes
wheel
dance
ring around the rosey
row tow
color
crayon
snow
kiss
knock knock
pat
more
hot
run
stand up
sit down
diaper
poop
P U
give
get me
I love you
shh
fish
book
wash hands
soap
light
waffle
toast
baby signing times
shake
tickle
star
chomp chomp
bounce
chew
open your mouth
so big
all done
take a bite
strawberry
cereal
peek a boo
telephone
flower
bubbles
pig
butterfly
bite
please
thank you
book

I think it's about 160 words. Not too shabby for 4 months post activation! I think he could sign about 85% of the words on this list.

When I thnk back to what he did in such a sort time it is nothing short of a miracle. We are so blessed to live in times of such amazing technology.

I also have his expressive language 4 months post activation. I will do it in the next post.

VOTE FOR CORMAC!!

Please take a second and vote for Cormac for The Gap Casting Call Fan Favorite! Wouldn't it be awesome to see an ad with a child with Cochlear Implants!!! It only takes a second. VOTE EVERY DAY! I am way behind on getting this out and it looks like some people has astronomical amounts of votes (i am thinking they are very computer savvy or hackers!) Please tell everyone you know!

Click here to vote

Random Acts of Kindness and Random comments from boys.

On Sunday we went to eat to the diner. Ciaran has been asking to go for a few weeks to go the diner for grilled cheese and fries. There was about a 45 minute wait for a table and I thought for sure we would over stay our welcome after waiting so long. Luckily, that was not the case.

Anyway, we were sitting at the table. Calleigh in her high chair munching on Veggie Straws. The boys and I were playing a game. I was describing something and they had to guss what it was I was describing. (Go figure, I was playing a listening game!) An older gentlemen walks over to our table. He had to be at least 70 or so. He says to me and Frank in the lovliest southern accent (remember we are in NJ) "I just had to come over here and tell you what a beautiful family you have. You are all so truly blessed to have such amazing children" I had never seen this man before. He proceeded to tell us a story about a family he knows who has 14 children and he thought by looking at us we would do fine with a whole lot more! I believe Frank choked on his burger at this point. LOL

What a wonderful way to start our day. It was so sweet of him to come and talk to us. And he didn't even realize the boys were triplets so it wasn't a multiples moment. It sure made Frank and I feel very fortunate.

On another note, I took Cormac today to try and figure out the mystery problem with his FM System. We went to Summit Speech School. We have not been there is so long. We still get our itinerant services from there but was haven't visited in a while.

While waitng to be seen by the audiologist the Principal was walking through the lobby. He comes over to say Hello. Cormac brought an Ariel doll with him and he tells him "This is my Ariel doll. I have another one at home who lights up but she isn't working right now because the batteries are dead". He looks at me and smiles and says "I can see we are suffering from a huge language deficit" LOL!

The audiologist told Cormac his teacher from last year had a baby. She showed him a picture of the baby. The baby's name was Christopher. He tells her "That's the same name as my cousin. And the same as Christopher Columbus. He discovered America when his boat went "boop" and bumped into it." She was cracking up.

Colin told me the other night when he gets big he wants to marry me. I said, OK. Ciaran says I want to marry mommy too. Colin says no, you can marry Dad. Ciaran says in his best sarcastic voice "Colin, Dad's not even a girl. What is wrong with you!" Cormac then says he wants to marry a girl "who looks just like Barbie" HMMMM...

A little Sad

Yesterday, I stood outside of the boys' preschool waiting for them to come out. The door opened and Ciaran was the first in line. I saw him and it shocked me a little. He looked so big and grown up. Standing there in his jeans and Nortre Dame jersey with his green fall vest. I swear for a second I didn't even recognize him. How can this all go by so quickly. Doesn't really seem fair to me. Why do we only get such a short time to be with our children before they have to grow up and be part of the real world? At that moment I wanted to take them all home and lock them up forever....

Then he came running at me yelling "Mommy" holding his latest school creation and I realized he might look grown up but he is still my baby. They are all still my babies. They will always be my babies.

Take time today to really cherish all the time you have with your children. Before you know it they won't want to run and jump in our arms.

PreK 4

We started Pre-K 4 on September 20th. I can't believe they are already in Pre-K 4! Next year is Kindergarten and I am NOT emotionally ready for them to be gone 5 days a week for full day. I really wish it was only half days. Maybe we can move before it starts. Seriously...

This was taken on the first day they went but it wasn't their "official" first day. They only went for an hour.


Colin


Ciaran


Cormac


The official first day



So far school is great. We have a wonderful teacher. We are having issues with Cormac's FM system. He uses a wireless system and wears a different hook (I connect) on his implant and the teacher wears a michrophone. It's wireless and when she talks he can hear her. I am not even sure he needs it but that's another issue. There are two teachers in the class and one is the same as last year. She is noticing he doesn't seem to be hearing as well and is asking for things to be repeated more than usual. Great for him for having the advocacy skills to ask when he can't hear but not the ideal situation for him. I noticed over the weekend he seemed to be asking "what" alot. I am thinking it's a mapping issue that came up quickly. Hoping to get him to the audiologist ASAP to have a look.

Cormac's teacher of the deaf has been awesome. She has been working with us on trouble shooting the FM. She's so proactive which is awesome. Part of our problem is we don't have an IEP which should include and educational audiologist but that's a whole other story. Luckily, Summit SPeech School can also work on his FM in the mean time until we can get him mapped. Another reason I so love that place. They are always willing to help and always have an answer.

We also started Flag Football. It's pretty funny and they totally don't have a clue. Not just my kids. All the kids. But Cormac scored his first touchdown yesterday. I wasn't there to witness it. Go figure. I miss one thing in their lives and he scores a touchdown. He also gets so pissed when they grab his flags. I keep telling him that is the whole point so maybe he should run faster :) Ciaran is fast and is the one who keeps gettin his flags. There is no contact allowed but my three are used to tackling each other. So far, they have not tackled a stranger!

Calleigh is doing amazing. She has finally started to feed herself. This is a pretty big milestone. She is also clapping and pointing. Two more to check off the list! She is trying her hardest to crawl and can go in reverse but still not quite forward. However, she is trying. She no longer pitches a fit when you put her into a crawl position and she gets up on all fours all by herself. Her personality is so hilarious. She is sweet as pie but is living up to the red headed temper stereotype! We are continuing her therapies and hope in the next few months she will be walking around.

I celebrated my birthday the end of September. The boys told me they wanted me to have beautiful, sparkly and glittery shoes as my gift. They came through as you will see in the picture below! I also received Hello Kitty slippers and some Halloween socks.

That's my cake. It says "Happy Birthday Beautiful Mom. We love you"


Notice the shiny shoes. They are actually Steve Madden and I love them. Yes, there is an extra child in the picture. That's my beautiful nephew, Michael. He is in love with the boys and wanted to be in our family photo.



Calleigh at flag football.


I am also attending The Annual Mainstream Conference hosted by The Clarke School. Cormac's TOD told me about it and since I can drive to it I am planning on going. I hope to work out the last of the babysitting details this week. Praying it all works out and I can attend.