Saturday, March 14, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Strangest Comment!
Today Cormac has an appointment with the audiologists for a mapping. I took the trio by myself into NYC for his appointment. It went really well. Ciaran and Colin enjoyed seeing where Cormac goes and Cormac enjoyed showing him his stuff. Colin had a mini meltdown when he has to be separated from Cormac and started to cry and say " I want to be with Cormac". It was kinda cute that he wanted to be with his brother though. I have a sneaky suspicion it was the toys Cormac was playing with and not actually Cormac. We watched Cormac through a window so it would be quiet for him. He did great and this is the first time I wasn't in the room. I could see and hear everything but wasn't physically sitting next to him. We joined at the end and Ciaran and Colin got to participate by repeating words like Cormac. What was really amazing is they all sound the same!
I asked the our audiologist, Janet, what decibels Cormac now hears and he can detect speech at 10-15 decibels. That is just amazing to me. That is the same as typically hearing people. I know he doesn't always hear like that because the further you are away from him it's not as easy and background noise can change it but for the most part it is utterly amazing.
Now, on the strangest comment! Since having triplets I have heard so many strange, ridiculous and sometimes rude comments. Most of them I have heard before. "you have your hands full", "better you than me", "how do you do it" "are they triplets", "are they natural" (well, they aren't aliens??) but what people really mean is are they spontaneous meaning you had no assistance getting pregnant. ANyway, I really dont care what people say to me. BUT this lady today cracked me up. I was in the elevator with all three in the stroller. She says "are they triplets?" I smile and say "yes". She says "they are adorable. Are they all yours?" Uhh, no they are triplets but one of them is my neighbors??? How could they be triplets and NOT all be mine???? I answered her "yes, they are all mine." Luckily, the elevator door opened and she exiting before I started cracking up! The boys looked at me like I was crazy because I was laughing. Some day they will understand!
I asked the our audiologist, Janet, what decibels Cormac now hears and he can detect speech at 10-15 decibels. That is just amazing to me. That is the same as typically hearing people. I know he doesn't always hear like that because the further you are away from him it's not as easy and background noise can change it but for the most part it is utterly amazing.
Now, on the strangest comment! Since having triplets I have heard so many strange, ridiculous and sometimes rude comments. Most of them I have heard before. "you have your hands full", "better you than me", "how do you do it" "are they triplets", "are they natural" (well, they aren't aliens??) but what people really mean is are they spontaneous meaning you had no assistance getting pregnant. ANyway, I really dont care what people say to me. BUT this lady today cracked me up. I was in the elevator with all three in the stroller. She says "are they triplets?" I smile and say "yes". She says "they are adorable. Are they all yours?" Uhh, no they are triplets but one of them is my neighbors??? How could they be triplets and NOT all be mine???? I answered her "yes, they are all mine." Luckily, the elevator door opened and she exiting before I started cracking up! The boys looked at me like I was crazy because I was laughing. Some day they will understand!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
We had our IEP!
Frank and I met with the school district on Tuesday. If you are wondering what all the noise is it's me doing the "happy dance". The meeting could not have went any better. Our district was open to sending Cormac to Summit Speech until the fall. This really is what is best for him and in the long run will help minimize what services he will need in his future. While I am new to this process and was totally terrified and overwhelmed from hearing many horror stories over the past couple of years from other parents, that was not our experience. While our district has no experience with a bilaterally implanted cochlear implant child it is obvious they are willing to learn and want what is best for Cormac. All I hoped for was a way for it to work for all of us. I wasn't thrilled about being the first cochlear kid in district but we can't change that situation. Hopefully, by working with Cormac another family will benefit from our experience with the district.
So, a big huge HOORAY is warranted.
I honestly didin't realize how stressed and worried I was about Cormac until after it was over. I swear I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Cormac continues to amaze us with his abilities and I am sure all that meet him will feel the same. The stronger the foundation we build for him now the stronger he will be in his future!
So, a big huge HOORAY is warranted.
I honestly didin't realize how stressed and worried I was about Cormac until after it was over. I swear I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Cormac continues to amaze us with his abilities and I am sure all that meet him will feel the same. The stronger the foundation we build for him now the stronger he will be in his future!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Let March Begin....
March is a big month in our house. Some people think St Patrick's Day is just that, a day. But not for us. We are on a whole parade schedule! We celebrate St Patrick's Day all month long. Now, this year the "celebrating" will be left to Frank sinc I am officially the designated driver due to pregnancy. But I will tell you I hate being pregnant in the month of March. No beer on St Patrick's day is not so great but hey, a baby girl is so worth it. If it wasn't for the Nutley St Patrick's Day parade Frank and I would have never even met each other. That is where I officially met him for the first time. We started dating about 6 months later after I broke up with my boyfriend at the time.
It's funny because I say we go to parades. In all the years I have been going to parades I have only actually started watching the parades since the boys were born. NOrmally, it was directly to the bar! Now we let the kids enjoy the parade and THEN get a sitter so Frank and I can stay out and socialize. That's really what it's all about. It's the one time of year you KNOW you will see certain people. It's time to catch up with old friends and see how everyone is doing. How another year has passed. Who had more kids, who got married or whatever is going on.
We went to the Belmar Parade this past Sunday. My mother in law lives in Belmar and has a party every year for the parade. It was super cold this year but we braved it and took the boys. They loved the firetrucks and the marching bands and REALLY loved all the bagpipers. I think we have three future bagpipers in the making. I would love to see them play the pipes. Frank has always wanted to play but never started. Maybe he can start when they start. Our lil girl can do Irish Dancing. I can't wait for that!!!
Anyway, for the next month there will be plenty of pictures of the boys sporting their shamrocks and lots of green.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ok, where do I start???
Today I met with the director of Summit Speech School. Cormac receives his teacher of the deaf sevices in the house from Summit and also attends a group class once a week at Summit. I wanted to meet with her to discuss what she thought was best for Cormac as he turns three and is no longer eligible for early intervention and is transitioned over to the local school district.
The conversation started with her telling me that Cormac is going to be just fine. She was impressed with what his reports said. She even said she thought might have been done incorrectly and rechecked them becasue she could not believe the progess he has made. Basically, he went from saying nothing, to 2 words and then made a huge jump to long sentences. She said he is a child who will not have trouble learning to read (an issue for some deaf/hearing impaired children). She said he uses words that are normall difficult for deaf children to learn and have to be taught. (any, some) and he understands complex and even abstract concepts. She could not be more pleased with his progress. She said if I had been waiting for a moment to sigh in relief, this was my moment!
Ok, can you say excited??? I know Cormac is doing well. I know how hard he works. I know how much effort goes into our everyday lives to MAKE SURE he is getting what he needs. But, I am his Mom so I always think maybe he could be doing better. To hear a professional tell me he is doing better and that he is "almost right there", meaning caught up to his actual age (he is 34 months old. His receptive langugage is at 33-36 months. His expressive is at 31-33 months) when he has only been hearing 18 months is just such wonderful news. I am so proud of Cormac. He is truly amazing.
My big dilema about what to do with him for school is hopefully solved for now. I still have to wait for the school district but I think they will be open to Summit's recommendations. When he turns 3 in April he will attend Summit for mornings only (not full day). This way he can still spend the rest of the day with his brothers and he won't feel so separated from them. I am going to have a hard time letting him go 3 hours a day but it's what is best for Cormac. We are going to do this for 6 months. In September all the boys will start preschool at a mainstream preschool. COrmac will receive support services. But by giving him 6 months at Summit will just solidify the foundation he already has built. Since Ciaran and Colin can't start school until September its not like they will go without him.
My biggest concern was the next 6 months. I knew he had to continue services but didn't want him in the preschool disabled in town. It is not the appropriate place for him. This decision gives me the best of both worlds!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! That is my sigh of relief! I feel OK about this and am happy with it.
On a different topic, I was asked to write Cormac's story for a website called thedeafblog.co.uk The woman who contacted me had read this blog and wanted thought it would be a good story for other parents to hear and perhaps it will help a parent of a newly diagnosed deaf child. I was more than happy to write the story. I am by no means a writer. I just wrote how I feel and what our lives are like having triplets and one of them being deaf. So, check it out if you would like to read it. Just click here
So, does that mean I am a published author??? LOL!
The conversation started with her telling me that Cormac is going to be just fine. She was impressed with what his reports said. She even said she thought might have been done incorrectly and rechecked them becasue she could not believe the progess he has made. Basically, he went from saying nothing, to 2 words and then made a huge jump to long sentences. She said he is a child who will not have trouble learning to read (an issue for some deaf/hearing impaired children). She said he uses words that are normall difficult for deaf children to learn and have to be taught. (any, some) and he understands complex and even abstract concepts. She could not be more pleased with his progress. She said if I had been waiting for a moment to sigh in relief, this was my moment!
Ok, can you say excited??? I know Cormac is doing well. I know how hard he works. I know how much effort goes into our everyday lives to MAKE SURE he is getting what he needs. But, I am his Mom so I always think maybe he could be doing better. To hear a professional tell me he is doing better and that he is "almost right there", meaning caught up to his actual age (he is 34 months old. His receptive langugage is at 33-36 months. His expressive is at 31-33 months) when he has only been hearing 18 months is just such wonderful news. I am so proud of Cormac. He is truly amazing.
My big dilema about what to do with him for school is hopefully solved for now. I still have to wait for the school district but I think they will be open to Summit's recommendations. When he turns 3 in April he will attend Summit for mornings only (not full day). This way he can still spend the rest of the day with his brothers and he won't feel so separated from them. I am going to have a hard time letting him go 3 hours a day but it's what is best for Cormac. We are going to do this for 6 months. In September all the boys will start preschool at a mainstream preschool. COrmac will receive support services. But by giving him 6 months at Summit will just solidify the foundation he already has built. Since Ciaran and Colin can't start school until September its not like they will go without him.
My biggest concern was the next 6 months. I knew he had to continue services but didn't want him in the preschool disabled in town. It is not the appropriate place for him. This decision gives me the best of both worlds!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! That is my sigh of relief! I feel OK about this and am happy with it.
On a different topic, I was asked to write Cormac's story for a website called thedeafblog.co.uk The woman who contacted me had read this blog and wanted thought it would be a good story for other parents to hear and perhaps it will help a parent of a newly diagnosed deaf child. I was more than happy to write the story. I am by no means a writer. I just wrote how I feel and what our lives are like having triplets and one of them being deaf. So, check it out if you would like to read it. Just click here
So, does that mean I am a published author??? LOL!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
A Big Thank you to Ciaran and Colin!
As the boys get older and start to understand more about Cormac's hearing I want to make sure I let them know what a vital part they have played in Cormac's progress and development. Ciaran and Colin are by far Cormac's greatest language models. Their amazing ability to never stop talking is wonderful for Cormac to hear on a daily basis.
I want to make sure Ciaran and Colin understand they are part of this entire process. They are not just spectators. It has always been hard because I wonder if they think I spend more time with Cormac because of his therapy. But I swear, I some level they just get it. They know why we do what we do. They understand Cormac can't hear and that's why he goes to school.
There are many times when Ciaran and Colin will say something Cormac has never said before and he immediately repeats what they said. After that, it seems he now "knows" the words or phrases. He can then use them on his own.
Another amazing thing is they always understand everything he says to them. Even when it's not so clear they just get him.
They all also have the same manner of speaking. When a word is said incorrectly, it's said incorrectly by all three. I guess they hear each other say it and so they think it's right. Right now a big word is "tainer". It's short for container. Basically, we have Buzz Lightyear containers that we use for snacks. They all can say the word container but all choose to refer to them as "tainers".
Each day that passes and each day they get bigger. I can't seem to stop it! Each day they make advances in every aspect of their life. Our house is extremely focused on speech and language. Both expressive and receptive. I tend to really notice the speech before anything else for good reason. (as I type this Cormac is standing behind me on a chair and rubbing my shoulders telling me "i giving you massage")
Here's a story that was really adorable. We were in Shoprite. Ciaran , who can only speak on LOUD starts to tell me a story. He says "mom, I'm Super Ciaran. Cormac is Super Cormac and Colin is Super Cormac. I say, really that's nice. He says. Oh, and you are Super Mommy. We are ALLLLLLLLL Super Heros. I say "what about daddy?" He says, Oh yeah, he's Super Daddy". At this point eaveryone within 5aisles can hear him and their was not one person who wasn't smiling at that point.
So, when people ask me is it hard to shop with three? Yep, sometimes, but for the most part we have fun and the conversations are getting cuter and cuter!
I am also told at least a hundred times a day "you're my BESSSST friend". I hope they think that forever! And they are quick to say "you are ALLLLL my best friends". And another one they keep saying which brings tears to my eyes almost every time??? "We are one big happy family" Can it get any better than that???
I want to make sure Ciaran and Colin understand they are part of this entire process. They are not just spectators. It has always been hard because I wonder if they think I spend more time with Cormac because of his therapy. But I swear, I some level they just get it. They know why we do what we do. They understand Cormac can't hear and that's why he goes to school.
There are many times when Ciaran and Colin will say something Cormac has never said before and he immediately repeats what they said. After that, it seems he now "knows" the words or phrases. He can then use them on his own.
Another amazing thing is they always understand everything he says to them. Even when it's not so clear they just get him.
They all also have the same manner of speaking. When a word is said incorrectly, it's said incorrectly by all three. I guess they hear each other say it and so they think it's right. Right now a big word is "tainer". It's short for container. Basically, we have Buzz Lightyear containers that we use for snacks. They all can say the word container but all choose to refer to them as "tainers".
Each day that passes and each day they get bigger. I can't seem to stop it! Each day they make advances in every aspect of their life. Our house is extremely focused on speech and language. Both expressive and receptive. I tend to really notice the speech before anything else for good reason. (as I type this Cormac is standing behind me on a chair and rubbing my shoulders telling me "i giving you massage")
Here's a story that was really adorable. We were in Shoprite. Ciaran , who can only speak on LOUD starts to tell me a story. He says "mom, I'm Super Ciaran. Cormac is Super Cormac and Colin is Super Cormac. I say, really that's nice. He says. Oh, and you are Super Mommy. We are ALLLLLLLLL Super Heros. I say "what about daddy?" He says, Oh yeah, he's Super Daddy". At this point eaveryone within 5aisles can hear him and their was not one person who wasn't smiling at that point.
So, when people ask me is it hard to shop with three? Yep, sometimes, but for the most part we have fun and the conversations are getting cuter and cuter!
I am also told at least a hundred times a day "you're my BESSSST friend". I hope they think that forever! And they are quick to say "you are ALLLLL my best friends". And another one they keep saying which brings tears to my eyes almost every time??? "We are one big happy family" Can it get any better than that???
Good News to report!
We had a follow up ultrasound yesterday. They confirmed once again, it is indeed a girl. For some reason Frank was not totally convinced. But the ultrasound tech was able to show Frank some "internal girl parts" and said it was for sure a girl. He was very excited. As we left the appointment he proudly told the receptionist he was having a daughter! While this is exciting, it's not the GOOD news.
The good news is about baby girl's cleft. Yes, she still has a cleft lip but it seems to be the mildest case. They once again said it does not appear to involve the pallette. If it does it will be very mild. This is wonderful news. And we got great news about the lip as well. The doctor said clefts normally appear as a "gap" in the lip. Ours is NOT a gap but more of a line. There is not a large space just looks like the skin didn't close. Basically, he said we have the best case scenario for a cleft. The craniofacial team will take a look at the pictures and get involved but he strongly feels after surgery she will be just fine and you won't even be able to tell. Yeah!
We had already accepted the diagnosis and we OK with it all. But this lifted our spirits and really made our day. She will still require probably 2 surgeries but that's ok.
The good news is about baby girl's cleft. Yes, she still has a cleft lip but it seems to be the mildest case. They once again said it does not appear to involve the pallette. If it does it will be very mild. This is wonderful news. And we got great news about the lip as well. The doctor said clefts normally appear as a "gap" in the lip. Ours is NOT a gap but more of a line. There is not a large space just looks like the skin didn't close. Basically, he said we have the best case scenario for a cleft. The craniofacial team will take a look at the pictures and get involved but he strongly feels after surgery she will be just fine and you won't even be able to tell. Yeah!
We had already accepted the diagnosis and we OK with it all. But this lifted our spirits and really made our day. She will still require probably 2 surgeries but that's ok.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Almost a week has passed!
I didn't realize I haven't posted all week. We have been very busy. Not much time to myself lately. We are about to start marketing myliltees.com and have been doing lots of last minute research and preparation. Please keep your fingers crossed for us. I also have a request. Do you have a favorite baby boutique in your neck of the woods? If so, please post their name and city in the comments section. We are trying to get the word out all over but since we are located in NJ and NY we are attempting to get contacts in other states. Any help would be appreciated.
As for the kiddos. All I can say is boys will be boys. They really have very set opinions and ideas at this point. Lots of times they differ from MY ideas and opinions. They are good boys. Just almost 3 years old. Lots of energy. We are praying for Spring because we have spend way too much time indoors lately. I need them to get out and run around. Colin told me the other day "mommy, we never go outside anymore". He doesn't mean we don't leave the house but we don't play outside. We go out most days. We do gymnastics and soccer but man, I can't wait until I can just open the back door and let them play in the yard. Winter sure is tough.
We dont' have another meeting with the school district until March 10th. Seems like forever. Especially since we have to have a deicsion made by April 5th. Doesn't give us much time to come up with a plan. I am hoping it all works out for the best. I strongly feel Cormac should be with his brothers but he needs support services. His progress to date has been amazing. I want him to continue on this path and not make any regressions.
I am going for another ultrasound today. Luckily, Frank is going with me this time. We probably won't find out any more information than we already know but who knows. I have time to digest the situation and am prepared with some questions. I am glad they will closely monitor the situation. I am hoping they still agree it's a girl! I know they can make mistakes! I swore I wouldn't buy anything but I couldn't resist the other day and bought two dresses! I can't even believe I can buy dresses!! They are so stinkin' cute.
That's all for now. I am over half way to having a fourth child! How crazy!
As for the kiddos. All I can say is boys will be boys. They really have very set opinions and ideas at this point. Lots of times they differ from MY ideas and opinions. They are good boys. Just almost 3 years old. Lots of energy. We are praying for Spring because we have spend way too much time indoors lately. I need them to get out and run around. Colin told me the other day "mommy, we never go outside anymore". He doesn't mean we don't leave the house but we don't play outside. We go out most days. We do gymnastics and soccer but man, I can't wait until I can just open the back door and let them play in the yard. Winter sure is tough.
We dont' have another meeting with the school district until March 10th. Seems like forever. Especially since we have to have a deicsion made by April 5th. Doesn't give us much time to come up with a plan. I am hoping it all works out for the best. I strongly feel Cormac should be with his brothers but he needs support services. His progress to date has been amazing. I want him to continue on this path and not make any regressions.
I am going for another ultrasound today. Luckily, Frank is going with me this time. We probably won't find out any more information than we already know but who knows. I have time to digest the situation and am prepared with some questions. I am glad they will closely monitor the situation. I am hoping they still agree it's a girl! I know they can make mistakes! I swore I wouldn't buy anything but I couldn't resist the other day and bought two dresses! I can't even believe I can buy dresses!! They are so stinkin' cute.
That's all for now. I am over half way to having a fourth child! How crazy!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!!
Valentine's Day is usually not a big deal for Frank and I. We try and celebrate our love every day so one day is not necessary. This year my Mom offered to babysit for us on Friday night. I didn't even realize it was for Valentine's Day at first. BUt hey, who are we to pass up babysitting??? Anyway, we went out to dinner last night and had a wonderful meal and some adult conversation. And, I swear, we didn't even talk about the kids the whole time!
The kids on the other hand have been gearing up for the Valentime's Day (no that's not a typo. That's how they say it). We made home made cards for Daddy, Grandma and Meemaw along with some cute little heart shaped pillows. Last night when my Mom got here last night they were pretty much bursting at the seems to get them to her.
We woke up Saturday morning and I had a little gift bag for each one of them. They were so excited. Even more excited to give Daddy their homemade cards and heart shape pillow.
We had heart shaped whole wheat pancakes for breakfast.
Those were a HUGE hit. After breakfast Frank had to go to work. So, I had to get the monkeys out of the house for a while. We went to the mall to the indoor play area and ran around for a while. THen I had lunch with my three lil sweethearts. It was a nice day. I wish Frank had been home to spend it with us but he can't help if he has to work. He didn't get hom until after 7pm last night.
We watched a great movie last night. Rare for Frank and I to watch a movie. And we both really enjoyed it which was a bonus!
We are off to church this morning and then I am taking the boys to my mother in laws since poor Frank is working once again.
Hope you all shared the LOVE this Valentine's Day! I know having children has made me love like I never knew possible!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Verdict is in....
We now officially know why Cormac is deaf. He is deaf from Connexin 26 gene mutation. What does this mean for Cormac? Really, it's just something he should know about himself. It will not change the course of his life or treatment. What does it mean for me and Frank? It means any child we have has a 25% chance of having hearing loss. So, baby girl has a chance of having hearing loss. It really doesn't matter to us. We said long ago when we discussed another child if deafness would not deter our decision. So, finding out after the fact is really no big deal. We could have an amnio to find out ahead of time. But why? We already know the drill. We know what to do if she has hearing loss.
The good news in all this? Because Cormac's deafness is caused by Connexin it rules out any "syndromes". We never thought he had any BUT there are some syndromes with hearing loss AND a cleft lip. The cleft lip is now being viewed as just an isolated incident because we know the cause of hearing loss. Does that make sense? Basically, the baby has nothing else besides the cleft lip. Hooray for us!
Now, what does it mean for Ciaran and Colin? It means they have a 75% chance of carrying the mutated gene. That said, they would have to have children with someone else who is also carrying the gene to have a child with hearing loss. The odds are so slim which is why Cormac is the first in both our families to be deaf. But it is possible. Frank and I both had it.
Cormac went for an 18 month check up at NYU. Yep, he has been hearing for 18 months. It seems like forever and just yesterday all at the same time. He has been sick but I took him anyway since he was feeling a bit better and it's so hard to reschedule appointments. So, with no nap and under the weather he was put in the sound booth for discrimination testing and an audiogram. I didn't get the results while I was there but as for the discrimination part. I don't think he missed one that I could remember. As a matter of fact, he was teasing them and picking the wrong one and giggling and then choosing the correct item. He's quite the little bugger. They also played an audio tape of a woman saying words. I think he only missed one word. His audiologist said they don't normally give the taped testing to children as young as Cormac but he was able to do it with no problem. He also repeated lots of words the audiologist was saying. At one point she said "finished" and instead of saying "finished" back to her he said "all done". His own little interpretation.
They didnt do a speech evaluation but I think it is supposed to be done shortly.
I was so proud of him. I was expecting him to be a little on the cranky side with no nap and sick but he was awesome. I believe the audiologist used the word "amazing". That sure can make your day.
The good news in all this? Because Cormac's deafness is caused by Connexin it rules out any "syndromes". We never thought he had any BUT there are some syndromes with hearing loss AND a cleft lip. The cleft lip is now being viewed as just an isolated incident because we know the cause of hearing loss. Does that make sense? Basically, the baby has nothing else besides the cleft lip. Hooray for us!
Now, what does it mean for Ciaran and Colin? It means they have a 75% chance of carrying the mutated gene. That said, they would have to have children with someone else who is also carrying the gene to have a child with hearing loss. The odds are so slim which is why Cormac is the first in both our families to be deaf. But it is possible. Frank and I both had it.
Cormac went for an 18 month check up at NYU. Yep, he has been hearing for 18 months. It seems like forever and just yesterday all at the same time. He has been sick but I took him anyway since he was feeling a bit better and it's so hard to reschedule appointments. So, with no nap and under the weather he was put in the sound booth for discrimination testing and an audiogram. I didn't get the results while I was there but as for the discrimination part. I don't think he missed one that I could remember. As a matter of fact, he was teasing them and picking the wrong one and giggling and then choosing the correct item. He's quite the little bugger. They also played an audio tape of a woman saying words. I think he only missed one word. His audiologist said they don't normally give the taped testing to children as young as Cormac but he was able to do it with no problem. He also repeated lots of words the audiologist was saying. At one point she said "finished" and instead of saying "finished" back to her he said "all done". His own little interpretation.
They didnt do a speech evaluation but I think it is supposed to be done shortly.
I was so proud of him. I was expecting him to be a little on the cranky side with no nap and sick but he was awesome. I believe the audiologist used the word "amazing". That sure can make your day.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Dinner Time Chat
Cormac: "I want to be an astronaut"
Mommy: "why do you want to be an astronaut?"
Cormac: "Because I want to fly to the moon" (yep, he said because!). "I need a helmet."
Mommy: "How will you get to the moon?"
Cormac: "In a rocketship"
Cormac: "Daddy wants to be astronaut, Ciaran wants to be astronaut, Colin wants to be astronaut and Mommy wants to be astronaut"(while pointing to each one of us)"We all go to moon together" "I want to sit on moon".
Mommy: What else do you need to wear to go to the moon?" (I never like to pass up the opportunity to expand the language)
Cormac: "I don't know"
Mommy: "a space suit"
Fast forward about two hours. My mom and step father stopped by to visit. (well, Richie was going to snake the soap out of the toilet!) I say to Cormac "tell meema what you want to be" He says again "i want to be astronaut" Tells her who is going to the moon. She asks if her and Pop Pop can go too and he says "no". I then ask him "what else do you wear to go to the moon?" And immediately the boy says "a space suit!" I swear he has a memory like an elephant. He NEVER forgets a thing once you teach it to him.
Another phrase he has been using lately is "me too!" If Ciaran or Colin says they want to do something or eat something he will say "me too!".
He is really expanding his sentences and his conversation skills. I still have the habit of repeating what he says when other are around but I am trying to not do that for him. Most people understand him, it's just me who is worried about it. I will eventually learn to not do it. My mom was talking on the cell phone with him while we were at Target. I kept taking the phone and repeating what he said to her and she finally said "i know what he said. I can understand him". Ok. I guess I need to stop.
Mommy: "why do you want to be an astronaut?"
Cormac: "Because I want to fly to the moon" (yep, he said because!). "I need a helmet."
Mommy: "How will you get to the moon?"
Cormac: "In a rocketship"
Cormac: "Daddy wants to be astronaut, Ciaran wants to be astronaut, Colin wants to be astronaut and Mommy wants to be astronaut"(while pointing to each one of us)"We all go to moon together" "I want to sit on moon".
Mommy: What else do you need to wear to go to the moon?" (I never like to pass up the opportunity to expand the language)
Cormac: "I don't know"
Mommy: "a space suit"
Fast forward about two hours. My mom and step father stopped by to visit. (well, Richie was going to snake the soap out of the toilet!) I say to Cormac "tell meema what you want to be" He says again "i want to be astronaut" Tells her who is going to the moon. She asks if her and Pop Pop can go too and he says "no". I then ask him "what else do you wear to go to the moon?" And immediately the boy says "a space suit!" I swear he has a memory like an elephant. He NEVER forgets a thing once you teach it to him.
Another phrase he has been using lately is "me too!" If Ciaran or Colin says they want to do something or eat something he will say "me too!".
He is really expanding his sentences and his conversation skills. I still have the habit of repeating what he says when other are around but I am trying to not do that for him. Most people understand him, it's just me who is worried about it. I will eventually learn to not do it. My mom was talking on the cell phone with him while we were at Target. I kept taking the phone and repeating what he said to her and she finally said "i know what he said. I can understand him". Ok. I guess I need to stop.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Missing Soap
Well, yesterday proved to be an interesting day. I had a new jumbo pack of soap. I think it had fifteen bars in total. I noticed three were missing. Two were accounted for quickly. There was one bar in each bathroom. The third bar was mysteriously missing. Duke smelt very clean and soapy. I investigate further to find Colin with some seriously soapy hands. I just assumed he had used one of the bars from the bathroom. You know what happens when you assume.....
Fast forward a few hours. Frank goes into the master bath and comes out asking what happened to the toilet. I answer "I have no idea but there IS a bar of soap missing". This leads to a Frank freak out which I totally expected. I was bathing the boys at the time so I just kept doing what I was doing. After bath the boys were laying in our bed watching Diego. This how the conversation went:
Frank (to Colin): "what did you put in the toilet?"
Colin: "soap" (he's too young to know it's wrong so he doesn't deny but gladly talks of his accomplishment!)
Frank:" which toilet?"
Colin: "The BIG toilet"
Frank: "which big toilet"
Colin: pointing to the master bath "that big toilet right there".
Frank: "where's the box from the soap"
Colin: "in the garbage"
Frank: "so you only put the soap in the toilet?"
Colin: "yup"
Case of the mystery soap solved.
I leave the room and can hear Frank questioning further. He's asking why Colin did it. Of course Colin has no idea why he did it but Frank continues to ask repeatedly until I yell from the other room. "He did it because he is TWO and has never been told not to do it now stop asking him why he did it!"
I can only imagine what else will wind up in our toilets at some point with three boys in the house. Now we are faced with how to get it out. He already flushed so it's jammed in there. Frank tried sticking a gloved hand in there but no luck. We are hoping we can snake it out this afternoon but we might have to take the toilet off to remove it. Apparently, soap doesn't melt the the toilet!
In other news...
Cormac goes on Wednesday for his 18 month post implant appointment. Since he is part of the Advanced Bionics study they require some appointments. Can you imagine he has been hearing for 18 months? It sure has gone by quickly. He has made remarkable progress. Some of the words he uses I am not even sure how he knows. I think he is always listening to everyone and really pays attention.
His newest phrases are "sure, I can do that". "how are you today?", he says "thanks" instead of thank you alot. His plurals have taken off and he really doesn't seem to drop the "s". He properly uses "our/ours" "your/yours" "you" "mine". He has started using "he and she" and "his and hers". We are currently working on "why" and "because". We are modeling it for him now and he has repeated it a few times. I have been saying "why do we eat?" "because we are hungry". "why do we sleep?" Because we are tired. You get the idea. It's hard to come up with lots of whys when you are put on the spot!
Colin and Ciaran continue to amaze me with their speech as well. I don't take their talking for granted. We were watching Noggin this morning and they show three elephants and ask which is different. Colin quickly points out the elephant with out the hat and says "the one in the middle is different". I ask "why is he different?" He says "because he is missing his hat!". I would have thought he would say "he doesn't have a hat" but "missing his hat" just cracked me up.
We went to church this morning. We are trying to make a better effort to attend church this year. Our church doesn't have a nursery but they do have a children's mass. They surprised us today and all sat pretty well for the entire service. Colin actually never really moved. Ciaran played and Cormac loved the singning and guitar and kept saying "i hear music". And "who's that talking" when the priest would talk.
I want to say thanks to everyone who responded to my last post about our baby girl. Thanks for all the encouraging words and support. We know she will be fine. It's just tough to hear something is wrong. Now that the news has settled in we are just looking forward to meeting our little girl and are sure we can handle anything they tell us. I am fortunate to have such wonderful friends, family and most of all the most supporting husband.
We have been telling the boys they will be big brothers and are going to have a sister. They think it's funny. Cormac interrupted dinnert the other night and said "Mommy, I want to get the baby a tiara". I guess somehow he knows every girl needs a tiara. Now, you know I have to find a tiny tiara so he can give it to her when she is born. He tells me every day he wants to get her a tiara! I still am shocked he knew what a tiara was to begin with!
Fast forward a few hours. Frank goes into the master bath and comes out asking what happened to the toilet. I answer "I have no idea but there IS a bar of soap missing". This leads to a Frank freak out which I totally expected. I was bathing the boys at the time so I just kept doing what I was doing. After bath the boys were laying in our bed watching Diego. This how the conversation went:
Frank (to Colin): "what did you put in the toilet?"
Colin: "soap" (he's too young to know it's wrong so he doesn't deny but gladly talks of his accomplishment!)
Frank:" which toilet?"
Colin: "The BIG toilet"
Frank: "which big toilet"
Colin: pointing to the master bath "that big toilet right there".
Frank: "where's the box from the soap"
Colin: "in the garbage"
Frank: "so you only put the soap in the toilet?"
Colin: "yup"
Case of the mystery soap solved.
I leave the room and can hear Frank questioning further. He's asking why Colin did it. Of course Colin has no idea why he did it but Frank continues to ask repeatedly until I yell from the other room. "He did it because he is TWO and has never been told not to do it now stop asking him why he did it!"
I can only imagine what else will wind up in our toilets at some point with three boys in the house. Now we are faced with how to get it out. He already flushed so it's jammed in there. Frank tried sticking a gloved hand in there but no luck. We are hoping we can snake it out this afternoon but we might have to take the toilet off to remove it. Apparently, soap doesn't melt the the toilet!
In other news...
Cormac goes on Wednesday for his 18 month post implant appointment. Since he is part of the Advanced Bionics study they require some appointments. Can you imagine he has been hearing for 18 months? It sure has gone by quickly. He has made remarkable progress. Some of the words he uses I am not even sure how he knows. I think he is always listening to everyone and really pays attention.
His newest phrases are "sure, I can do that". "how are you today?", he says "thanks" instead of thank you alot. His plurals have taken off and he really doesn't seem to drop the "s". He properly uses "our/ours" "your/yours" "you" "mine". He has started using "he and she" and "his and hers". We are currently working on "why" and "because". We are modeling it for him now and he has repeated it a few times. I have been saying "why do we eat?" "because we are hungry". "why do we sleep?" Because we are tired. You get the idea. It's hard to come up with lots of whys when you are put on the spot!
Colin and Ciaran continue to amaze me with their speech as well. I don't take their talking for granted. We were watching Noggin this morning and they show three elephants and ask which is different. Colin quickly points out the elephant with out the hat and says "the one in the middle is different". I ask "why is he different?" He says "because he is missing his hat!". I would have thought he would say "he doesn't have a hat" but "missing his hat" just cracked me up.
We went to church this morning. We are trying to make a better effort to attend church this year. Our church doesn't have a nursery but they do have a children's mass. They surprised us today and all sat pretty well for the entire service. Colin actually never really moved. Ciaran played and Cormac loved the singning and guitar and kept saying "i hear music". And "who's that talking" when the priest would talk.
I want to say thanks to everyone who responded to my last post about our baby girl. Thanks for all the encouraging words and support. We know she will be fine. It's just tough to hear something is wrong. Now that the news has settled in we are just looking forward to meeting our little girl and are sure we can handle anything they tell us. I am fortunate to have such wonderful friends, family and most of all the most supporting husband.
We have been telling the boys they will be big brothers and are going to have a sister. They think it's funny. Cormac interrupted dinnert the other night and said "Mommy, I want to get the baby a tiara". I guess somehow he knows every girl needs a tiara. Now, you know I have to find a tiny tiara so he can give it to her when she is born. He tells me every day he wants to get her a tiara! I still am shocked he knew what a tiara was to begin with!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Update on our new addtion some exciting and some not so good news :(
We found out Monday our latest addtion is a girl. We are excited and scared. Can you imagine this poor soul trying to get a date when she has three older brothers? The way the ages work out they will be seniors when she is a freshman in high school. She might think she is the luckiest girl alive if all the senior boys are hangin' at her house. BUT her brothers might not like it too much. Anyway, she will be well spoiled, loved and protected.
While we were able to find out about the sex of the baby they also noticed something on the ultrasound. It appears the baby has a cleft lip. I was totally not prepared to hear anything bad. I was alone at the office because no one could go with me. All the wind got knocked out of my sails. The joyous news of a baby girl was overshadowed by the news of her lip.
We really won't know anything much for a while. The baby is still so small it's really hard to tell how involved it is at the moment. At this point they don't think the palete is involved. I am praying it is just the lip. It will be monitored by the perinatologist and will have to see a pediatric ENT, a pediatric plastic surgeon and a host of other specialists.
I know in the grand scheme of things it's not that big a deal. Things could be worse. But it doesn't seem to make it any easier. No one wants to learn their child has something wrong. No one wants to find out months before their baby is even here that she will have to endure surgery when she is only about 3 months old. SHe might need more than one surgery.
I am in the why me? stage right now. I know I shouldn't feel that way but I do. I felt that way for a short time when Cormac was diagnosed as deaf. It took a while for the shock to wear off and then I dusted myself off and charged ahead. If you read this blog you know the outcome. Cormac is amazing. I have dedicated every waking moment to making sure he has a postive outcome. More than I think anyone realizes because no spends the entire day with us. I wouldn't trade it for the world but it's not always been an easy road. With two others requiring the same amount of time I walk a fine line balancing the needs and wants of all three without making anyone feel left out. I think I do a pretty good job at this but who knows? Maybe some day Ciaran and Colin will say I spent more time with Cormac. I hope they realize it was all in the best interest of our family.
I just keep thinking about how much one person can do. I am only one person. I still have years of making sure Cormac is getting all the support he needs. How will I now have a baby who will need lots of doctors appointments and more care than your average newborn? Can I handle it? God only gives you what you can handle. I am thinking God thinks I am better equipped than I am aware.
I was so excited when I learned I was pregnant with this baby. I would get to enjoy just being pregnant. Triplet pregnancies are filled with fear and worry. You spend the whole time counting the weeks to make sure your babies can survive. Make sure they stay put long enough to avoid long term disabilities even though you have NO CONTROL over any of it. You don't get to really enjoy being pregnant. At each doctor visit you are reminded of the doom and gloom. Just make it to 24 weeks and we can "try" and save them. Make it to 28 weeks and the odds go up. Make it to 30 weeks and my doctor said he would do back flips. You know what? He still owes me some back flips. I cooked those suckers until almost 32 weeks!
I was on bed rest for 12 weeks. I was hospitalized more times than I can remember. And I didn't even have many complications. I thought this would be different. I thought it would be smooth sailing. Now, I am worried to death. I fear for what will happen. I am just plain ole' sad. I know I must sound selfish right now but trust me, in a few days I will rise up and start planning our future. I will find the best team to treat her and start making decisions. Just like I did with Cormac. I will pray for some guidance because for some reason this is throwing me for a loop.
Please say a prayer for our little girl if you could.
While we were able to find out about the sex of the baby they also noticed something on the ultrasound. It appears the baby has a cleft lip. I was totally not prepared to hear anything bad. I was alone at the office because no one could go with me. All the wind got knocked out of my sails. The joyous news of a baby girl was overshadowed by the news of her lip.
We really won't know anything much for a while. The baby is still so small it's really hard to tell how involved it is at the moment. At this point they don't think the palete is involved. I am praying it is just the lip. It will be monitored by the perinatologist and will have to see a pediatric ENT, a pediatric plastic surgeon and a host of other specialists.
I know in the grand scheme of things it's not that big a deal. Things could be worse. But it doesn't seem to make it any easier. No one wants to learn their child has something wrong. No one wants to find out months before their baby is even here that she will have to endure surgery when she is only about 3 months old. SHe might need more than one surgery.
I am in the why me? stage right now. I know I shouldn't feel that way but I do. I felt that way for a short time when Cormac was diagnosed as deaf. It took a while for the shock to wear off and then I dusted myself off and charged ahead. If you read this blog you know the outcome. Cormac is amazing. I have dedicated every waking moment to making sure he has a postive outcome. More than I think anyone realizes because no spends the entire day with us. I wouldn't trade it for the world but it's not always been an easy road. With two others requiring the same amount of time I walk a fine line balancing the needs and wants of all three without making anyone feel left out. I think I do a pretty good job at this but who knows? Maybe some day Ciaran and Colin will say I spent more time with Cormac. I hope they realize it was all in the best interest of our family.
I just keep thinking about how much one person can do. I am only one person. I still have years of making sure Cormac is getting all the support he needs. How will I now have a baby who will need lots of doctors appointments and more care than your average newborn? Can I handle it? God only gives you what you can handle. I am thinking God thinks I am better equipped than I am aware.
I was so excited when I learned I was pregnant with this baby. I would get to enjoy just being pregnant. Triplet pregnancies are filled with fear and worry. You spend the whole time counting the weeks to make sure your babies can survive. Make sure they stay put long enough to avoid long term disabilities even though you have NO CONTROL over any of it. You don't get to really enjoy being pregnant. At each doctor visit you are reminded of the doom and gloom. Just make it to 24 weeks and we can "try" and save them. Make it to 28 weeks and the odds go up. Make it to 30 weeks and my doctor said he would do back flips. You know what? He still owes me some back flips. I cooked those suckers until almost 32 weeks!
I was on bed rest for 12 weeks. I was hospitalized more times than I can remember. And I didn't even have many complications. I thought this would be different. I thought it would be smooth sailing. Now, I am worried to death. I fear for what will happen. I am just plain ole' sad. I know I must sound selfish right now but trust me, in a few days I will rise up and start planning our future. I will find the best team to treat her and start making decisions. Just like I did with Cormac. I will pray for some guidance because for some reason this is throwing me for a loop.
Please say a prayer for our little girl if you could.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Here We Go Steelers!!!
Frank is a huge Steeler fan. Of course, the boys will follow suit after being told they are Steeler fans since birth. It's big year for our house since they made it to the Super Bowl. Last time they went to the Super Bowl I was pregnant with the triplets. This year I am pregnant again. You see where I am going with this??? Apparently, if I take one for the team (as a friend said) the Steelers will make it to the Super Bowl!
When the Steelers were in the Super Bowl that last time I was in the hospital during a bout with Pre Term Labor. I wound up being in there 14 days. Poor Frank watched most of the Super Bowl on a tiny hospital television. I told him not to but he insisted. I finally got him to leave at half time and go watch the game at a friend's house. This year will be different. We are all going to a party together. The boys have their Steelers sweatshirts ready to go. I am hoping he gets to enjoy the game.
Here they are cheering on their favorite team!
When the Steelers were in the Super Bowl that last time I was in the hospital during a bout with Pre Term Labor. I wound up being in there 14 days. Poor Frank watched most of the Super Bowl on a tiny hospital television. I told him not to but he insisted. I finally got him to leave at half time and go watch the game at a friend's house. This year will be different. We are all going to a party together. The boys have their Steelers sweatshirts ready to go. I am hoping he gets to enjoy the game.
Here they are cheering on their favorite team!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
How many things can you do in a morning??
Play Doh
Aquadoodles
Coloring
Letter of the Week
Practicing Cutting Lines
Candy Land
Hi HI Cherrio
Listening Game (we all play but it's for Cormac)
The Shapes Game and Song
Can you guess what this list is???????
It's what we did this mornnig It's what we did this mornnig before 11:30am! Trying to amuse the boys for hours when we can't go out is becoming more challenging. The always say "what's next?" If it wasn't an ice storm I would have let them out to play in the snow but the weather was so crappy we couldn't leave the house.
Normally, we go out every day. We haven't been out of the house since Saturday due to different circumstances. Can you say stir crazy??? Oh and when all else fails. See the video below for our latest entertainment.
I, however, have left the house. I had an OB appointment on Monday. All looks well with the newest addition. The nicest part of the appt? The doctor keeps telling me I am skinny. Her words NOT mine. Makes an almost 5 month pregnant woman feel pretty darn good! That said, I don't feel skinny and my belly is really starting to show. SHe just can't believe after carrying triplets my belly didnt start showing sooner. I think I am only up 5 pounds at almost 5 months so it sounds good to me! The big news??? We find out Monday if it's a boy or a girl.
Colin thinks we should name the baby Target. Hmmmm.... Do you think we go there too often? Frank was off for Tuesday and Wednesday. Slight mishap in the almost finished basement. Yep, I said ALMOST finished. All the sheet rock is up. We are ready for spackle and then it floor and we can start using the room! I will be so happy when this happens. The upstairs play room will become the new babies room. The existing family room will remain a little family room/office. We will have such a huge space for the boys. I know the more space you have the more crap you aquire but I'm OK with that situation.
We spent two whole days home with the boys as a family with no interruptions. It was such nice family time. Frank and I did nothing but play with the boys the entire time they were awake. Lots of hide and seek. Lots of rough housing. Lots of fun. Today Frank went back to work and it was sad when the boys woke up. They dais "what happened to Daddy?" I told them he went to work and they said they wanted him to come home.
Colin has a new toy. He found a tiny garbage can that was in their room when they were babies. We never used it but it matched their room. It has a little bucket inside as the line and the foot pedal. He has been carrying it around for 2 days filled with his favorite toys. Very strange! Who know a mini trash can could entertain a child for so long. Cormac seems to be making more big leaps in his speech. I noticed yesterday he is talking in some 6 or 7 word sentences and we are not losing any of the filler words. All the "a's", "The", "ands" are included. He said "I want to eat strawberries and bananas". That's quite a sentence.
Aquadoodles
Coloring
Letter of the Week
Practicing Cutting Lines
Candy Land
Hi HI Cherrio
Listening Game (we all play but it's for Cormac)
The Shapes Game and Song
Can you guess what this list is???????
It's what we did this mornnig It's what we did this mornnig before 11:30am! Trying to amuse the boys for hours when we can't go out is becoming more challenging. The always say "what's next?" If it wasn't an ice storm I would have let them out to play in the snow but the weather was so crappy we couldn't leave the house.
Normally, we go out every day. We haven't been out of the house since Saturday due to different circumstances. Can you say stir crazy??? Oh and when all else fails. See the video below for our latest entertainment.
I, however, have left the house. I had an OB appointment on Monday. All looks well with the newest addition. The nicest part of the appt? The doctor keeps telling me I am skinny. Her words NOT mine. Makes an almost 5 month pregnant woman feel pretty darn good! That said, I don't feel skinny and my belly is really starting to show. SHe just can't believe after carrying triplets my belly didnt start showing sooner. I think I am only up 5 pounds at almost 5 months so it sounds good to me! The big news??? We find out Monday if it's a boy or a girl.
Colin thinks we should name the baby Target. Hmmmm.... Do you think we go there too often? Frank was off for Tuesday and Wednesday. Slight mishap in the almost finished basement. Yep, I said ALMOST finished. All the sheet rock is up. We are ready for spackle and then it floor and we can start using the room! I will be so happy when this happens. The upstairs play room will become the new babies room. The existing family room will remain a little family room/office. We will have such a huge space for the boys. I know the more space you have the more crap you aquire but I'm OK with that situation.
We spent two whole days home with the boys as a family with no interruptions. It was such nice family time. Frank and I did nothing but play with the boys the entire time they were awake. Lots of hide and seek. Lots of rough housing. Lots of fun. Today Frank went back to work and it was sad when the boys woke up. They dais "what happened to Daddy?" I told them he went to work and they said they wanted him to come home.
Colin has a new toy. He found a tiny garbage can that was in their room when they were babies. We never used it but it matched their room. It has a little bucket inside as the line and the foot pedal. He has been carrying it around for 2 days filled with his favorite toys. Very strange! Who know a mini trash can could entertain a child for so long. Cormac seems to be making more big leaps in his speech. I noticed yesterday he is talking in some 6 or 7 word sentences and we are not losing any of the filler words. All the "a's", "The", "ands" are included. He said "I want to eat strawberries and bananas". That's quite a sentence.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Politically Incorrect????
I grew up in a town that was at least 90% Italian. I am not Italian. The surrounding towns were similar and were commonly referred to as the "Pasta Triangle" by everyone in these towns. The term "guido" was a commonly used term growing up. Think of the Sopranos. That's what my hometown was like to a large degree. Most of the landmarks you saw on the show were close to my house. One of the characters even LIVED in my town on the show. I don't think unless you grow up around it you truly understand the culture. Anyway, you will see how this all ties in together in a second.
I bought the boys new undershirts today. I realized when I got them home I had not picked up T-shirts but the tank top style undershirts. I referred to them as "guinny tees" but realized quickly I should probably not teach the boys to call them by that name. It was such a funny moment because I have always called them "ginny tees". Anyone I know growing up called them the same. Whether they were Italian or not. It was just what they were called. I haven't really thought about it for a long time. Sometimes they were referred to as "wife beaters". Back in the day, I never even thought about it. But man, how horrible is that?
All this to say, I never realized how politically incorrect the term "ginny tee" was until I accidently brought them home for the boys. For some reason I can't even look at the boys in them without chuckling. Brings back lots of memories of boys from my home town. Lots of summers at the Jersey Shore. Lots of gold chains around the necks. Lots of "how you doin'?" and "Fuggedaboutits" Ahhh....to be young again.
Not sure if you will find the pictures as amusing as me but if you are from North Jersey..... I am sure you will appreciate it!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Disney on Ice
We went to see Disney on Ice on Saturday thanks to my sister, Robin. SHe gave us tickets for Christmas. I wasn't sure how they would react to the show. It was bad timing because it meant a nap was going to be skipped.
I started showing them clips of the show online about a week before the show. I figured if they saw it online they would be more familiar. Frank and I talked it up a lot during the week. By the time Saturday rolled around they were totally PSYCHED and screaming "We want to see Mickey Mouse!"
We left early and had spoken to the arena about getting an FM system for Cormac just in case he couldn't hear the show. They were awesome about arranging it for us. They left it for us at the will call window. Turns out it wouldn't work anyway. Luckily, he said he could hear everything. Actually, while the show was going on my Mom was sitting in the row behind us and asked Cormac if he wanted to sit on her lap. He heard her while the show was playing loudly over the speakers. I took this as a sign he was doing just fine.
Ciaran sat mesmerized on Frank's lap and never moved an inch. Cormac stood most of the time just dancing. Colin was a little squirmy for the first part but was enjoying the show. He sat on my lap for the second half.
The look of pure delight on their faces was priceless. I am so excited to take them to another show. Look out, Diego!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Give me strength.
Today is one of those days. If I wasn't pregnant I might be having cocktails for lunch. Seriously. We didn't have a sitter this morning so I couldn't take Cormac to school. I got literally like 3 hours sleep last night. One would think with three kids it would be the children keeping me up. Not in this house. Duke had the runs all night and kept going in and out of the house. I mean he went outside every ten minutes.
Needless to say I finally fell asleep around 6am and the boys were up by 7am. Working on about an hours sleep is not so good.
The boys gave me a run for my money today. Most days are really a breeze. Where do I start? We headed out in the morning and had a great trip to Walmart. Not problems a few Tootsie Pops couldn't handle.
We get home and all I have to do is go to the bathroom. This sometimes turns into a luxury in my house. Well I get in the bathroom and I realize how QUIET the house is at the moment. QUIET = TROUBLE. Normally, it means they got into a cabinet and are secretyly shoving candy or cookies into their mouths. Annoying but not too bad. Well today was a little different. Apparently, Ciaran and COlin now know how to open the sliders to the back yard. Can you imagine? They were outside running in the yard. I know, horrible. But the yard is enclosed and they can't get out. BUT it was freezing and their is snow everywhere. THANK GOD they still had their boots on from just coming in the door. They didn't have coats. Let's just say they got in a little bit of trouble for that one.
I say go upstairs and watch TV. I figure this will give me a second to get my bags unpacked. Next I hear uncontrollable laughter. Cute and all but sounded a little suspicious to me. Next thing I know poor Duke comes running down the stair looking a little shiney and smiling like oranges. Apparently, I left the Orange Glow Wood cleaner on my dresser and Cormac and Colin decided the dog needed a cleaning. I rescue Duke, clean him off and send him downstair. He happily complies.
Next thing I hear is a loud CRASH. Followed by "mommy help me" from Cormac. They somehow managed to knock to the TV down. It didn't hurt anyone and I know it could have killed one of them easily. It is now rigged so they can't get to it.
DId i mention this all happened within about a 1/2 hour window? Don't call child services on me yet. THis is not a typical day. I have now child proofed the sliders, rigged the TV and will try to remember to put away the Orange Glow. But trust me, with these three minds working collectivly they are bound to find some other mischief to amuse themselves.
Where is the Spring??? I NEED TO GET THEM OUT IN THE YARD OR TO THE PARK! We still go out every morning but it's not the same. They don't get to exert enough energy. Soccer is awesome on Fridays for this purpose. I think they need to be enrolled in another activity for my sanity! But it's hard because Cormac has his therapy three days a week.
I try and occupy their time but the number of hours in the day outweigh the activites. Let's see in one day we usually do Play Doh, Aquadoodles, painting, reading, building with legos, coloring. We play hide and seek. We are now playing some games on the computer. Anyone have any amazing things to occupy their time? Free time equals mischief in this house.
I am tired from writing this post and reliving the day. I need a nap!
Needless to say I finally fell asleep around 6am and the boys were up by 7am. Working on about an hours sleep is not so good.
The boys gave me a run for my money today. Most days are really a breeze. Where do I start? We headed out in the morning and had a great trip to Walmart. Not problems a few Tootsie Pops couldn't handle.
We get home and all I have to do is go to the bathroom. This sometimes turns into a luxury in my house. Well I get in the bathroom and I realize how QUIET the house is at the moment. QUIET = TROUBLE. Normally, it means they got into a cabinet and are secretyly shoving candy or cookies into their mouths. Annoying but not too bad. Well today was a little different. Apparently, Ciaran and COlin now know how to open the sliders to the back yard. Can you imagine? They were outside running in the yard. I know, horrible. But the yard is enclosed and they can't get out. BUT it was freezing and their is snow everywhere. THANK GOD they still had their boots on from just coming in the door. They didn't have coats. Let's just say they got in a little bit of trouble for that one.
I say go upstairs and watch TV. I figure this will give me a second to get my bags unpacked. Next I hear uncontrollable laughter. Cute and all but sounded a little suspicious to me. Next thing I know poor Duke comes running down the stair looking a little shiney and smiling like oranges. Apparently, I left the Orange Glow Wood cleaner on my dresser and Cormac and Colin decided the dog needed a cleaning. I rescue Duke, clean him off and send him downstair. He happily complies.
Next thing I hear is a loud CRASH. Followed by "mommy help me" from Cormac. They somehow managed to knock to the TV down. It didn't hurt anyone and I know it could have killed one of them easily. It is now rigged so they can't get to it.
DId i mention this all happened within about a 1/2 hour window? Don't call child services on me yet. THis is not a typical day. I have now child proofed the sliders, rigged the TV and will try to remember to put away the Orange Glow. But trust me, with these three minds working collectivly they are bound to find some other mischief to amuse themselves.
Where is the Spring??? I NEED TO GET THEM OUT IN THE YARD OR TO THE PARK! We still go out every morning but it's not the same. They don't get to exert enough energy. Soccer is awesome on Fridays for this purpose. I think they need to be enrolled in another activity for my sanity! But it's hard because Cormac has his therapy three days a week.
I try and occupy their time but the number of hours in the day outweigh the activites. Let's see in one day we usually do Play Doh, Aquadoodles, painting, reading, building with legos, coloring. We play hide and seek. We are now playing some games on the computer. Anyone have any amazing things to occupy their time? Free time equals mischief in this house.
I am tired from writing this post and reliving the day. I need a nap!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Today we headed into NYC to bring Cormac to a genetic specialist to see if we can determine the cause of his hearing loss. There a few genetic links that cause hearing loss most notably connexin 26 and connexin 30. In the big picture it really doesn't matter why he is deaf. I think it is important for him to know when he is older so he is aware. If it does come back as genetic hearing loss we will know any child we have has a 25% chance of being born with hearing loss or deaf. So, I guess since we are having anothe baby it will be good to know so we know exactly what to do when the baby is born. We won't have the results for 4-6 weeks.
As for Cormac he was is cute little self today. The genetic doctor asked if it was OK if some of his students stayed in the room while they talked to us. We agreed. They were so taken aback by Cormac. They couldn't believe how he was talking. The one Dr said "I want to stay in here all day with this guy". I can't tell you how many times they commented on how clearly he spoke. I refrained myself from repeating everything he said to see who understood him. And ya know what? They all did! He did have to have blood work and it broke my heart because he actually shed real tears while they did it. The Dr. was awesome and it only took one try so that was a relief. He clearly and loudly said "I don't want you to do that" I thought the band aid at the end would be like a present but he again said "I don't want a band aid. Pull down my sleeve". He was fine in a matter of seconds. But for a Mommy to have to hold her baby while he cries from a needle. Well, it just sucks.
Frank and I dropped Ciaran and Colin off at my mom's house on our way into the city. They love it there and were glad to stay. Only problem: Cormac wanted to stay also and cried because he had to leave. That's hard to handle. We resolved that with pancakes and hash browns. He was smiling away.
My Mom met us back at our house to drop off the boys for lunch and nap. They were so excited to tell me the has a "prise" for me. Which translates to a surprise. My Mom took the both of them for hair cuts. They needed them desperately but I just haven't had the time to do it. And I hate when Colin and Ciaran's hair gets long. Drives me nuts. They look so handsome with the little hair cuts AND it's one less thing I need to do this week. Apparently, they behaved very well at the barber. I might have to start taking them to this new barber. They liked him and he only charged $5 a kids. I pay $14 a kid where I take them. Or better yet maybe my mom can continue to take them and it's one less thing for me to do :)
As for Cormac he was is cute little self today. The genetic doctor asked if it was OK if some of his students stayed in the room while they talked to us. We agreed. They were so taken aback by Cormac. They couldn't believe how he was talking. The one Dr said "I want to stay in here all day with this guy". I can't tell you how many times they commented on how clearly he spoke. I refrained myself from repeating everything he said to see who understood him. And ya know what? They all did! He did have to have blood work and it broke my heart because he actually shed real tears while they did it. The Dr. was awesome and it only took one try so that was a relief. He clearly and loudly said "I don't want you to do that" I thought the band aid at the end would be like a present but he again said "I don't want a band aid. Pull down my sleeve". He was fine in a matter of seconds. But for a Mommy to have to hold her baby while he cries from a needle. Well, it just sucks.
Frank and I dropped Ciaran and Colin off at my mom's house on our way into the city. They love it there and were glad to stay. Only problem: Cormac wanted to stay also and cried because he had to leave. That's hard to handle. We resolved that with pancakes and hash browns. He was smiling away.
My Mom met us back at our house to drop off the boys for lunch and nap. They were so excited to tell me the has a "prise" for me. Which translates to a surprise. My Mom took the both of them for hair cuts. They needed them desperately but I just haven't had the time to do it. And I hate when Colin and Ciaran's hair gets long. Drives me nuts. They look so handsome with the little hair cuts AND it's one less thing I need to do this week. Apparently, they behaved very well at the barber. I might have to start taking them to this new barber. They liked him and he only charged $5 a kids. I pay $14 a kid where I take them. Or better yet maybe my mom can continue to take them and it's one less thing for me to do :)
Friday, January 16, 2009
"You're my Best Friend"
What else do could you possibly want to hear from your child??? Ciaran has decided in the last few days to tell me I am his best friend. It's the first thing he says to me in the morning when he wakes up and the last thing at night. Along with telling me it 100 times during the day. I was starting to feel really special. Come on now, who wouldn't want to hear it, right? After the first day of him telling me this Frank comes to me and says "Jenn, Ciaran said the nicest thing to me". I say "what?" He proceeds to tell me Ciaran told him he was his "best friend". HMMMM. I think Ciaran already knows how to work the system. Little traitor (LOL) telling BOTH his parents they are his best friends and melting their hearts!! He is still telling me I am his best friend and it's still adorable.
As for an update on the IEP process with Cormac. I have called in the backups. THe education specialist from NYU will be attending the next meeting along with the head of the Teachers of the Deaf from Summit Speech School. I am hoping by bringing people experienced with Cochlear Implants they can help the school distric to understand Cormac's needs. He doesn't need much help in the actual classroom. Just some support pull out services. Good Lord, it's not rocket science. The meeting isn't until March so it's a while off but I plan to have all my ducks in a row and make sure we are all on the same page of what is best for Cormac. I will be in full Mama Bear mode protecting her cub. So, they better not mess with me.
We had company over the weekend. Two of which (kelly and Patrick) we only get to see a few times a year. It was great to see them. Their daughter, Caitlyn is just as cute as pie. The boys had a blast playing with her, especially Ciaran. My lil' ladies man!
Here's a new favorite of mine of Cormac
Patrick was upstairs in the playroom with Cormac and Caitlyn. He comes downstairs and says" Cormac says he wants to color and the crayons are in the closet". I say "did he say all that to you and you understood it?" He says "of course" I think I am always so worried that others will not understand him and tend to repeat what he says. But I think a true test is for someone who hasn't seen Cormac since JUNE to come over and understand EVERY WORD he says. In my heart I know Cormac is doing well but I always worry. This made me feel so good. So proud. My little man has accomplished so much. Today he asked me where is moose antlers were. I didn't think he knew the word antlers. But once again, I was wrong.
Colin continues to be just a funny kid. He has such a sense of humor. He really gets jokes and likes to play them on others. We are back on the red hat kick. It's surgically attached to the boys head again. But he needs a haircut so bad I am glad he wants to wear a hat. His hair tends to grow out instead of down.
As for me, I am now approaching 17 weeks pregnant. My belly is starting to show. I took a picture because I want to compare how big I am with a singleton to the triplets. I cannot imagine when I was pregnant with the triplets I went on complete bed rest in another 3 weeks. Seems so crazy to me now.
We had a little scare with my bloodwork and I had to go back for a test called a Quad Screen. Luckily, it all looks good now. I was secretly very worried for the past 10 days. But I tried to stay positive. I go for another growth scan on 2/2/09. THey should be able to confirm the sex by then as long as the baby is cooperating. I cannot believe how different it is to be pregnant with one versus three. It's a whole new world.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Not such a "Splashing" Success
Swimming lessons were not so great! They love the water (pool or ocean) but they were not into swimming lessons. Cormac was beyond excited when we arrived. He pulled his clothes off and ripped his implants off because he knows they can't go in the water. He went right with the teacher and she took him around the pool. She brought him back and he sat on the step and decided he wanted to get out. He proceeds to get out of the pool, pull his bathing suit off and tossed in on the ground and tell me "I don't want to be wet. Where's my hat and coat? I want to go home". At which point the teacher says "well, he really does have beautiful language, you would never know he's deaf!" A minute later he asked for him implants but not before putting on his green shamrock hat. So there he was standing there in a swimmy diaper with his green shamrock hat on all teary eyed.
I was wondering if Cormac not being able to hear was upsetting to him. He rarely goes without his implants. I mean, the kids sleeps in them. The only time he is without them is in the bath. Last summer he didnt seem to mind when he couldn't hear but I am wondering if things are different now. He's a different kid. He relies on his hearing and LOVES to hear. I guess we will have to see. Or I will have to somehow rig up something so he can wear his implant in the water. I know, not a smart idea but I would like to make him as comfortable as possible. I don't want him to dislike the water because of his implants.
Colin was next and at first refused to go near the water. I dipped his feet and he went in with the teacher. Did a lap just like Cormac. I heard him say on the other side of the pool. "Ok, I want to go by Mommy now." She brought him back he got out and he was done.
Ciaran took the most coaxing to get in the water but he seemed to enjoy it the most once he was in the pool. He did one lap, came back and he was done.
None of them cried. They just didn't want to do it. The instructor said she didn't think they were old enough for lessons. NOw, I know many kids who go much younger but I guess she is all business. No playing. They are there to learn to swim and not play around. My guys would have been more than happy to just play in the water. Oh well, I will try again in a few months. She was kind enough to not charge us anything for our trial and said bring them back when they are older.
Now I have to find another activity for us to attend this winter. I can' stand being in the house all the time. Maybe gymnastics???
I was wondering if Cormac not being able to hear was upsetting to him. He rarely goes without his implants. I mean, the kids sleeps in them. The only time he is without them is in the bath. Last summer he didnt seem to mind when he couldn't hear but I am wondering if things are different now. He's a different kid. He relies on his hearing and LOVES to hear. I guess we will have to see. Or I will have to somehow rig up something so he can wear his implant in the water. I know, not a smart idea but I would like to make him as comfortable as possible. I don't want him to dislike the water because of his implants.
Colin was next and at first refused to go near the water. I dipped his feet and he went in with the teacher. Did a lap just like Cormac. I heard him say on the other side of the pool. "Ok, I want to go by Mommy now." She brought him back he got out and he was done.
Ciaran took the most coaxing to get in the water but he seemed to enjoy it the most once he was in the pool. He did one lap, came back and he was done.
None of them cried. They just didn't want to do it. The instructor said she didn't think they were old enough for lessons. NOw, I know many kids who go much younger but I guess she is all business. No playing. They are there to learn to swim and not play around. My guys would have been more than happy to just play in the water. Oh well, I will try again in a few months. She was kind enough to not charge us anything for our trial and said bring them back when they are older.
Now I have to find another activity for us to attend this winter. I can' stand being in the house all the time. Maybe gymnastics???
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Snow, Sledding, Soccer and Swimming!
It seems to be a week of "s's". We started soccer class on Friday morning. I found a program that accepts kids before three. It was a blast. The boys loved it. Colin was a little shy at first and sat by himself but he didnt complain, just sat there. Cormac and Ciaran literally were sqealing with delight yelling "I'm playing soccer ball". (I keep telling them it's just soccer but I guess they are used to saying baseball, football, basketball. So, to them, it will be soccer ball!) There are five kids in the class of which we are three but that's usually the case when we go to a class. As for it actually being soccer??? I mean no one is even three years old yet so it's basically working on some skills. No games or anything. The soccer classes were a gift from my Dad for Christmas. AWESOME!!
Snow and sledding. We got some snow over the weekend. It was supposed to be more of a storm but wound up being only about 3 1/2 inches followed by some ice. It might has well been 3 feet for my little monkeys. They didn't care either way. We bundled them up this morning and out we went. Armed with shovels, dump trucks and our new sleds courtesy of Aunt Mary Norton. We all had so much fun as you will see in the pictures and videos. We live on a pretty decent sized hill so to get to the neighbors there is a slope. It is the smallest little hill you have ever seen. But at 2 years old it must be just perfect. They were going down in their sleds. I think the ice on top was giving them some extra push. At one point Ciaran and Cormac were going so fast they went under the giant pine tree on the lawn. I had to catch them before the bolted into the street. This was all done with huge smiles and giggles. Frank was even going down the hill with them. I sat out on the sledding. Wasn't too sure if I should be sledding while I am 4 months pregnant! We came inside and had some Hot Chocolate with marshmallows. What a wonderful way to spend the morning. Nothing better than a fun filled family morning.
We start swimming on Tuesday thanks to Meema. That was her Christmas gift to the boys. I had a difficult time finding someplace to take them for lessons. I didn't want to have to join the Y or something just for lessons. Everything was so expensive. By some luck, I found a woman who teaches at a pool in a hotel. She wil take all three of them and the parents do not have to go in the pool. This was the other issue I was having. Most places require a parent per child for swimming until they are older. Luckily, this is not the case with our new instructor. They will be the only students. I wanted to make sure she understood Coramc would be deaf in the water and he will need to read her lips. Not sure how she would react. SHE COULD NOT BE HAPPIER! She actually lost her hearing in one of ears and recently and wears a BAJA hearing aid. She said they will understand each other like no others! She had her surgery at NYU just like us! We couldn't be happier to find someone who understands us.
With all these activities it sure presented lots of language opportunities especially using the letter "s". We talked alot about all our activities and Cormac remembered at soccer to "listen to the coach" as he told me when we got there.
Snow and sledding. We got some snow over the weekend. It was supposed to be more of a storm but wound up being only about 3 1/2 inches followed by some ice. It might has well been 3 feet for my little monkeys. They didn't care either way. We bundled them up this morning and out we went. Armed with shovels, dump trucks and our new sleds courtesy of Aunt Mary Norton. We all had so much fun as you will see in the pictures and videos. We live on a pretty decent sized hill so to get to the neighbors there is a slope. It is the smallest little hill you have ever seen. But at 2 years old it must be just perfect. They were going down in their sleds. I think the ice on top was giving them some extra push. At one point Ciaran and Cormac were going so fast they went under the giant pine tree on the lawn. I had to catch them before the bolted into the street. This was all done with huge smiles and giggles. Frank was even going down the hill with them. I sat out on the sledding. Wasn't too sure if I should be sledding while I am 4 months pregnant! We came inside and had some Hot Chocolate with marshmallows. What a wonderful way to spend the morning. Nothing better than a fun filled family morning.
We start swimming on Tuesday thanks to Meema. That was her Christmas gift to the boys. I had a difficult time finding someplace to take them for lessons. I didn't want to have to join the Y or something just for lessons. Everything was so expensive. By some luck, I found a woman who teaches at a pool in a hotel. She wil take all three of them and the parents do not have to go in the pool. This was the other issue I was having. Most places require a parent per child for swimming until they are older. Luckily, this is not the case with our new instructor. They will be the only students. I wanted to make sure she understood Coramc would be deaf in the water and he will need to read her lips. Not sure how she would react. SHE COULD NOT BE HAPPIER! She actually lost her hearing in one of ears and recently and wears a BAJA hearing aid. She said they will understand each other like no others! She had her surgery at NYU just like us! We couldn't be happier to find someone who understands us.
With all these activities it sure presented lots of language opportunities especially using the letter "s". We talked alot about all our activities and Cormac remembered at soccer to "listen to the coach" as he told me when we got there.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The IEP Process begins
For those that are not aware and IEP is an individual education program. Cormac will need an IEP to attend school. Up until his third birthday he receives services through early intervention. I love early intervention. He has been receiving services since we found out he was deaf. For longer than I can remember he has received two hours a week at home with a Teacher of the Deaf, Joan. I also bring him one day a week to Summit Speech School for a group class. Why this all has to change at the young age of three is beyond me but I don't get to make those decisions.
At three years old the child is now handled by your local school district. Our local school district set up our identification meeting. This meeting is to determine if Cormac is eligible for services. He qualifies because he is deaf so that was not an issue. Next we have to discuss his education needs. This is where it gets tricky. Our district has never had a deaf child let alone a child with bilateral cochlear implants. They have no one in district has EVER worked with a child with cochlear implants. The speech therapist is a nice lady but has no direct experience with deaf children. Working with children with speech delay and a deaf child are two different things. Most people do not understand.
The only program in town is preschool disabled. This class contains all children of all disabilities. This is so not where Cormac belongs. He is not academically delayed or cognitively delayed. His fine and gross motor skills are perfect. I don't know many other two year olds that can write their letters. His only delay is in his expressive language and he is not really far behind. But his delay comes from not hearing for the first 13 months of life NOT from any other issue.
Cormac should be in a mainstream preschool along with his brothers and get support services. I am not sure how we are going to accomplish this task. But we will. I have been dreading this process for a long time. With a district with no experience at all I am hoping it can be a learning process for both sides. We can help them to learn what a deaf child with implants needs. Every child is different but at least int he future they would have some experience.
I have spent hours researching and seeking information to show the district what is in Cormac's best interest. There are lots of laws that protect him and I am familiar with them all. I will make sure to have copies of them with me when they make a recommendation of preschool disabled and prove to them this is not the least restrictive environment. Luckily, NYU has an education specialist and she is willing to come and talk with the district. I am hoping her expertise will be enough to make our case. All I want for Cormac is mainstream preschool with support services. Since they don't have qualified professionals for support services they need to contract with people who are qualified.
I knew it was not going to be a simple process. I was prepared for it but I did not think they would have no clue what so ever. Oh well, just another bridge to cross in our journey.
At three years old the child is now handled by your local school district. Our local school district set up our identification meeting. This meeting is to determine if Cormac is eligible for services. He qualifies because he is deaf so that was not an issue. Next we have to discuss his education needs. This is where it gets tricky. Our district has never had a deaf child let alone a child with bilateral cochlear implants. They have no one in district has EVER worked with a child with cochlear implants. The speech therapist is a nice lady but has no direct experience with deaf children. Working with children with speech delay and a deaf child are two different things. Most people do not understand.
The only program in town is preschool disabled. This class contains all children of all disabilities. This is so not where Cormac belongs. He is not academically delayed or cognitively delayed. His fine and gross motor skills are perfect. I don't know many other two year olds that can write their letters. His only delay is in his expressive language and he is not really far behind. But his delay comes from not hearing for the first 13 months of life NOT from any other issue.
Cormac should be in a mainstream preschool along with his brothers and get support services. I am not sure how we are going to accomplish this task. But we will. I have been dreading this process for a long time. With a district with no experience at all I am hoping it can be a learning process for both sides. We can help them to learn what a deaf child with implants needs. Every child is different but at least int he future they would have some experience.
I have spent hours researching and seeking information to show the district what is in Cormac's best interest. There are lots of laws that protect him and I am familiar with them all. I will make sure to have copies of them with me when they make a recommendation of preschool disabled and prove to them this is not the least restrictive environment. Luckily, NYU has an education specialist and she is willing to come and talk with the district. I am hoping her expertise will be enough to make our case. All I want for Cormac is mainstream preschool with support services. Since they don't have qualified professionals for support services they need to contract with people who are qualified.
I knew it was not going to be a simple process. I was prepared for it but I did not think they would have no clue what so ever. Oh well, just another bridge to cross in our journey.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Simple things
This morning the boys were running around playing in the living room with their new kitchen. I was sitting on the couch just watching and participating in all the meals they were cooking up. Cormac walks over to me and says "mommy, i made you some tea" and hands me a plastic tea cup. I answer him and say "thank you", pretend to take a sip and say "can I have some sugar?" He says "sure" pretends to give me some sugar gets me a spoon and says "stir, stir, stir". Not sure why exactly at that moment I was just taken aback but I said to Frank. "I cannot imagine our life if we didn't get Cormac implants". Would we never had heard his sweet little voice? We would never had known he could talk and have a conversation. With all the chatter going on around him he would never had been able to sign to me while pretending to cook and also taking part in the conversation with his brothers. ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Frank said moments like this one would have made him sad if Cormac couldn't participate and Ciaran and Colin were not able to talk with him. Yes, we would have all learned sign language but he still would have missed out on so much in our everyday lives.
So this morning I am so greatful for all we have in our lives. But most importantly for three healthy, happy children who NEVER STOP TALKING! Music to my ears.
So this morning I am so greatful for all we have in our lives. But most importantly for three healthy, happy children who NEVER STOP TALKING! Music to my ears.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A Big Step for New Jersey
This article was in The Star Ledger a few days ago. Grace, who the law is named after, attended Summit Speech School. Her Mom sure has made a differene in New Jersey. If you can imagine it wasn't considered medically necessary for hearing aids. Most parents pay out of pocket for hearing aids. How can hearing be a luxury? Most isurers cover glasses so you can see but not hearing aids to hear. Makes absolutly no sense at all.
To read the article click here
Not sure if you remember this post but I posted a while back about being interviewed at Summit Speech School. The video is available on their website. Once you get to the site look in the right corner for "school video". It's a video all about the school. About 14 minutes into the video I make my big debut (LOL). I look like crap but what I say comes from the heart and of course, I manage to cry. Check it out if you like.
Speaking of Summit Speech School, our days are limited at Summit. This is scary and sad to me. But with Cormac turning three in just about 90 days it's time to make the transition to our school district. We have our first meeting on 1/6/06. I am nervous. I just want to make sure I know enough and fight hard enough for what Cormac needs. I want him to attend mainstream preschool with some support services. I truly feel this is what is best for him but also have lingering fears I might make the wrong decision. I almost wish it wasn't up to us and "someone" just made the decision for us. That said, we know our son the best and what will be best for him educationally, socially and emotionally. Having him attend preschool with his brothers is very important to me. DOn't get me wrong, it he wasn't doing so well I would think about other options for him but he was implanted young. We have worked hard for the past year and a half and will continue to put in all the time and effort it takes to keep him where he needs to be.
I think all parents are nervous to send their child or children to preschool. I don't think we are any different but I do have more worries. Will they make sure he is hearing all day? Will they check his equipment? Will they monitor him so he doesn't lose his implants? (i know they can't watch him like I do). So, with along with a normal parent fear I add on a different level of anxiety. I know they will all do well in preschool. Honestly, I think they need it right about now. I try my best to entertain them every day but a change of scenery and some new friends will be nice for them. I am sure I will be lonely without them. But baby number four will be arriving in June and should take my mind off of it a little bit.
I have tried to make sure I made use of the short amount of time you actually get to keep your kids with you 24/7. Did I spend too much time doing other things? Will I have regrets I didn't spend enough time just enjoying them? Who knows? But in my heart I know I have been thrilled to be home with them for almost three years. I have tried to do as much as possible with them each day. I make sure the spends lots of time hugging and kissing them. I know I have to let them grow up and start going places without me, but it JUST SUCKS!
To read the article click here
Not sure if you remember this post but I posted a while back about being interviewed at Summit Speech School. The video is available on their website. Once you get to the site look in the right corner for "school video". It's a video all about the school. About 14 minutes into the video I make my big debut (LOL). I look like crap but what I say comes from the heart and of course, I manage to cry. Check it out if you like.
Speaking of Summit Speech School, our days are limited at Summit. This is scary and sad to me. But with Cormac turning three in just about 90 days it's time to make the transition to our school district. We have our first meeting on 1/6/06. I am nervous. I just want to make sure I know enough and fight hard enough for what Cormac needs. I want him to attend mainstream preschool with some support services. I truly feel this is what is best for him but also have lingering fears I might make the wrong decision. I almost wish it wasn't up to us and "someone" just made the decision for us. That said, we know our son the best and what will be best for him educationally, socially and emotionally. Having him attend preschool with his brothers is very important to me. DOn't get me wrong, it he wasn't doing so well I would think about other options for him but he was implanted young. We have worked hard for the past year and a half and will continue to put in all the time and effort it takes to keep him where he needs to be.
I think all parents are nervous to send their child or children to preschool. I don't think we are any different but I do have more worries. Will they make sure he is hearing all day? Will they check his equipment? Will they monitor him so he doesn't lose his implants? (i know they can't watch him like I do). So, with along with a normal parent fear I add on a different level of anxiety. I know they will all do well in preschool. Honestly, I think they need it right about now. I try my best to entertain them every day but a change of scenery and some new friends will be nice for them. I am sure I will be lonely without them. But baby number four will be arriving in June and should take my mind off of it a little bit.
I have tried to make sure I made use of the short amount of time you actually get to keep your kids with you 24/7. Did I spend too much time doing other things? Will I have regrets I didn't spend enough time just enjoying them? Who knows? But in my heart I know I have been thrilled to be home with them for almost three years. I have tried to do as much as possible with them each day. I make sure the spends lots of time hugging and kissing them. I know I have to let them grow up and start going places without me, but it JUST SUCKS!
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