Ten on Tuesday

1. I am leaving for California next week! Very excited to see some awesome people I haven't seen in a while. I will miss the kiddies but I am sure they will survive without me. Frank will be home for the days I am gone.

2. I am in serious need of a haircut/style or something. I am just sick of my hair. It is always horrible. That said, I don't know where to go down here so I have to figure it out.

3. I have the final IEP meeting on Wednesday at school. I am pretty sure we are not going to get approved for the services I requested. I think it's disgusting children get penalized because they are enrolled in private school. The town you pay taxes in still gets money for your child. We are saving them money by NOT sending our kids to their public school but the funds are not available for them in private school. I could go on and on but it's pointless. I guess we will see on Wednesday.

4. I cannot get over the unbelievable weather we are experiencing in the Northeast. We have been outside riding bikes and playing at the beach almost every day. It is so amazing. The kids don't even need winter coats at this point. We are taking advantage of every minute.

5. Frank is off on Friday. I am so looking forward to him having some free time. We have a ton or organization to work on in the house. Having a few hours with him home and only the baby with us will be very productive.

6. The tree lighting in town is on Friday. This is our first year in the new town. It sounds very fun. They have a choir, activities for the kids, Santa arrives on the firetruck and it all ends in the gym with hot chocolate and desserts.

7. The boys started basketball two weeks ago. The gymnasium acoustics are horrible. Not to mention 26 other kids and their parents all in the gym. It is the first time really ever Cormac has said he couldn't hear and got upset. I could tell right away he couldnt hear the coach. He was following along for the warm up but was about a second behind because he was doing what the other kids were doing and not hearing the instructions. It made me very upset. He then got upset and said he didn't want to play. Frank went on the court and helped him (there were other dads helping coach so he didn't feel singled out) and he was much happier. One of the girl coaches came over and gave him lots of one on one attention and he was quite happy! I am planning on bringing home his FM system for the weekend and letting the coach wear it so it doesn't happen again.

8. Cormac was evaluated by the SLP for the county. We finally got the report. I found one statement so amazing "Cormac's speech clarity was so clear after talking with him an articulation test was not necessary" I love this statement.

9. Ciaran needed the articulation test which did not surprise me. He has good speech but some of his sounds are not perfect. All the sounds he struggles on fall directly in his range of hearing loss.

10. My new favorite picture:

Santa Landing and things that still amaze me....

Yesterday, we went to see Santa arrive by helicopter at the oval. We weren't sure if he would come in the helicopter or a firetruck and much to the delight of hundreds of children he arrived on a helicopter. The looks on the my kids faces was PRICELESS. Santa was waving from the helicopter. To see such pure joy is such an awesome experience. The only drawback was it took him almost two hours to walk around and see all the kids. The kids just ran around and played but it was tiring. I had to send Calleigh home with my Mom for her nap. I was left with my niece and nephew and the boys. My niece, Cailan, told me she is pretty sure I have magical powers or am a miracle worker to be able to get all the boys to listen! She is only 9 years old and is so funny.

When the Big Man FINALLY got to say hello to us. They boys along with my niece and nephew.


The boys and the elves.


Cormac and the elves. He was the first to ask if he could take a picture with them.


The smooch


Me and the Smooch.


Waiting....


The next few are when they first say the helicopter with Santa. Priceless





A few more while waiting!




On a CI note, I am still amazed after all these years. Here are two moments from yesterday. My niece asked Cormac to play the alphabet game with her. (She is nine) asked "How do you play it?" She said "I will say a letter and you need to say a word that start with that letter". He says "Ok. Let's play". She went on to name all 26 letters. She could not stump him. He said a work for every letter. She never had to repeat herself. Not once. My niece is the sweetest girl and she couldn't believe he couldn't be stumped! So then Cormac says "now it's my turn to say letters and you say the words"

Calleigh was sitting in her high chair drinking out of a sippy cup. It was making a strange whistle noise when she was drinking. It was so quiet. Cormac was sitting at the table and says "what is that quiet squeaking noise I hear?" AND he only had one implant on at the time! LOL.

Let the Christmas Season begin!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Ten on Tuesday

1. I am so happy it's getting close to Christmas. I LOVE Christmas time. It is probably my favorite time of year.

2. I am enjoying our unseasonably warm weather. We have been so lucky to be getting so much time to play outside at the beach and playground.

3. Calleigh is a chatterbox. Literally, overnight she has become a parrot. She repeats everything We just need to work on her using her words to get things now. She is totally into naming everyone at this point. She can say her name which melts my heart when she says it.

4. The boys are so much fun at this age. They want to just learn and learn. As I type this they are all on their Ipod touches. They are all playing educational games. Not because they have to but they want to. It makes me so happy.

6. Frank had a birthday. The boys made him a crown to wear. He wore it all day. He watched footbal wearing it. It made the boys day. He is a great Dad and puts the kids happiness before anything. We are lucky to have him.

7. We have a half day on Tuesday and off for the rest of the week. So looking forward to all the days with the boys. We are heading to Insectropolis on Wednesday. I get creeped out from bugs but the kids will love it.

8. The day after Thanksgiving we will be heading to see Santa for the first (of many) times. He flies in by helicopter and it should be fun.

9. With Thanksgiving on Thursday I am thankful for so many things. I am hoping to write a post for Thankful Thanksgiving with all the things we are thankful for in our lives (including the kids. Should be interesting what they say)

10. I have a question for all my CI moms. I will blog it soon. Just looking for your thoughts on something.

What makes you different or special?

This question was asked of the boys as part of their homework. We had to read a poem and then we were supposed to ask them what makes the special or different. I was very curious to see what reponses I would receive.

Somehow I figured Cormac and Ciaran would answer with something related to their cochlear implants and hearing aids. I was wrong. Neither one of them mentioned it as making them different than others. Interesting, surprising and wonderful at the same time.

Colin was the only one who mentioned them and said he was different "because I don't have anything wrong with my cochleas and dont wear anything on my ears."

Cormac said he was different because he had blonde, curly hair.

Ciaran said he was different because he had different colored blue eyes.

I think they were talking about being different from each other as triplets not as different from their peers.

Why am I deaf?

Yesterday, at my Mom's Cormac asked me "why am I the only deaf person in our family?" He has never asked before and I could tell he wasn't upset. Just curious.. So, I told him "Daddy and I both have a very special gene (I told him about genes and he seemed to get we are made up of them. )and when we both gave them to him and he was born deaf." He said, "oh, ok" and smiled. Then I explained we gave him cochlear implants because we wanted him to be able to hear all the people who love him talk to him and so he could talk with us. He said "I love having my implants. If I didn't have them it would sound like it does when my magnets are off all the time". (For those that don't know, without his magnets he hears NOTHING. ZERO) I said "Yes, it would. What is your favorite thing to hear?" He said "the ocean waves crashing to the shore and the sound of you and Daddy's voices"

Just in case I had any doubt about our decision (which I did not) he reassured me he is a happy hearing kid!

Not so Wordless Wednesday

An unseasonably warm week. We have been taking full advantage of the last few days when it will be so warm/


Here are a few memorable statements from the terrific trio.

A few weeks ago Frank and I were going out to meet some family to see a band at a local bar. The boys were asking where we were going. I told them where and they asked "what is a bar?" I told them it was where they make adult beverages. Probably not the conversation I should be having but I was kidding around with them telling them we were going to dance. Anyway, this weekend I was going to a gift auction at a country club to raise money for the school. Ciaran looks at me dressed and ready to go and looks at Colin and Cormac and says "I can't believe Mom is going to Barber AGAIN. I wonder how many times she will go to the Barber" After a huge chuckle I was thinking if he starts telling other people Mom and Dad go to barber alot they won't think much of it. LOL

I posted this on Facebook so if it's a duplicate sorry.
Colin: what's a f*ckaneer? Me: what did you say??? Colin: I said what's a f*uckaneer? Me: do you mean bucaneer? Colin:yes..you know they wear those hats. What are they? I think I nearly died from laughter when I walked out of the room.
I am still laughing about this one. If you could hear his voice it was priceless.

Ten on Tuesday

Ten words I currently love...

1. Tank you (not spelled wrong)

2. Ciar Ciar (Short for Ciaran)

3. Purple

4. Lobster

5. One Two Three

6. Blue

7. Eight

8. milk pease

9. Baby

10. Did it

It's been a long time coming but Calleigh is finally adding new words every day! It's so exciting. It seems like it's all clicking. She has amazing receptive language and now the expressive language is coming along. Not sure why it's taking so long but I will take it!

Great way to start the weekend

Yesterday, when I went to pick up the boys from school another Mom (who I don't know at all maybe have said hello once or twice)came up to me and says "I saw this picture and thought "Are you also a model as well as a Mom to four kids?"



After the shock wore off I kindly said Thank you and no, that is definitely not me!! It was probably the nicest compliment I have received in years (except for yesterday when someone gave me a compliment about Cormac...you know who you are ) I guess I don't really look as bad as I think I do when I go get the kids. LOL

Manasquan Water Taxi

This weekend we went rode the Manasquan Water Taxi. They usually are open for business in the summer and you can ride the taxi between several bars/restaurants on the water. I had done it years ago and it was a lot of fun. This year they tried a Pirate Cruise. (nothing like the Pirate cruise we went on for the boys birthday) You ride the boat (adult beverages are served if wanted)to Treasure Island. Once on the Island you go on a nature hike/treasure hunt. You "find" a treasure chest as well as a pumpkin patch. Such a cute idea. It was a little cold on Sunday but still worth it. The kids had a blast and Frank enjoyed the adult beverages :)

The Island we went to brought back lots of memories because when I was in my twenties we used to go to the same island by boat for the day and enjoy way too many cocktails with lots of good friends.

Something I also noticed and was even surprised by. We were sitting on the back of the boat. We were going pretty fast and it was very windy. There was also music playing. I was able to have a normal conversation with Cormac who was sitting two people away from me. I didn't need to yell. I could just talk to him. Even with all that background noise he was able to have a conversation. Pretty darn amamzing.

We will be back again next year for sure. If nothing else, we go so wonderful pictures!

Some quotes worth keeping and Happy Halloween!

The kids have come out with some good things lately. I put some on Facebook so if I duplicate sorry. I just want to be able to remember these things.

Colin: I am pretty sure Evelyn is in love with me. Me: How do you know? Colin: I asked her and she said yes Me: Oh, that's nice. Colin: Yeah, but I am in love with Reese. (And so it begins) Then Cormac chimes in "Well, that's ok cause I am in love with Evelyn" Ciaran says "dont worry mom, I am in love with you"
2135Boys are all playing in Calleigh's room. Colin and Ciaran are "whispering" so Cormac can't hear them. I say "He can hear you. He is not deaf. He is in the same room as you". From across the room Cormac says "Well, actually I am deaf but I heard them anyway"

Driving up from our house to my Mom's house on Halloween Colin says all to himself in the car "Wait, I must be dreaming. Is that snow. I must be dreaming because it doesn't snow at Halloween."

Ciaran has been "quoting" me in and doing impressions of my voice. To hear him say things I know I say all the time is outright hilarious!

Everything now has "smurf" in front of it since wee were the smurfs for Halloween. "Smurftastic" "Smurfilicious" "Smurftaculuar"

My Mom got dressed as a witch for a Halloween party and texted me a picture to show the boys. When I showed them here is what they said :
Colin: You look good and pretty and have a spooktacular day.
Ciaran: You look bootiful.
Cormac: You look like a very friendly witch and I don't care if you are scary and have a green face.

They say so many things I can't possibly remember them all but I really am trying to document as much as I can.

On the Calleigh front...she is doing marvelous! She has really started chatting away! She never would repeat what you said to her but now she is like a little parrot. We know she can hear so we weren't sure why she wasn't talking. But then again, Calleigh is really a medical mystery. With all her issues she doesn't have any neurological or cognitive issues (thank goodness). She is still delayed in speech but making HUGE progress. Her favorite word right now is "purple". She says it so cute. SHe is also getting better wth her gross motor and more steady on her feet. If you can imagine we are already starting to talk about preschool! Since she is in early intervention they start the process 6 months ahead of her third birthday. So, that would put us in December! If her speech and gross motor skilss are still delayed she will qualify for preschool in district. Our (new) district has a great program because it's has typical kids and delayed kids together. We are not sure this is where she will go but we will see. If she catches up she will go to the same school as the boys do now. I am BEYOND thrilled with her therapists since we moved. I think a change was good for her and different techniques are a plus. Her PT really has her working hard. She brings things and set up mini obstacle coureses in the house.

And now to leave you with some serious cuteness. We were the Smurfs for Halloween. Cormac was brainy, Colin was Papa, Ciaran was grouchy (check out his eyebrows). Frank was Gargamel, I was Smurfette and Calleigh was Azriel the cat.