Wren did really well today with her implants. When we put them on this morning, I let her turn the little knobs to turn the volume up. If she feels like she has some "ownership" of something she is MUCH more cooperative. When we started patching it was a bit of a struggle.....til I let her pick the patch....unwrap the patch...and then hand it to me while SHE holds her hair back. We figured out a little better way to hook her CI's onto her too, which resulted in less times of dislodging them from her head. The over the ear processors that look like hearing aids would be the best, but they just don't work well with her glasses. We have to wipe her glasses umpteen times a day and the whole kit and caboodle would have to come off and be reattached. Sooooo.......this is our invention. A soft denim belt from a skirt I had on the pile to send to GoodWill, safety pinned in front so it lays flat. This was yesterday. Today she had an undershirt on with the belt on top, the cords between the two shirts. This seemed to allow the cords to slide better and not pull. It probably felt a lot better too. She wore them from 8:30 to 8:30pm today:) 12 hours of hearing on day 3!! This kiddo is a trooper.
She has her pink head pieces on here. You can't see anything from the front.
This is the very first day in the elevator at the motel. She had her black headpieces on (which I like best cause you can't even see them) Her processors were clipped to her shirt which kept pulling backwards, and the cords would get hooked on things. We've also considered a little pouch like insulin pumps are carried in, but that would be even bulkier under her shirts. If anyone has some great ideas......on how to attach the ear processors along with her glasses, or a better wearing option for the body worn ones.....let me know!
These are the armbands and swim cap for swimming. They fell off the entire time because the cords weren't quite long enough. we finally took them off and just let her swim. We forgot swim suits, and after searching all over town for them, we finally gave up and bought the cheapest leggings we could find at Wal-mart....marked them....took them to the front desk to borrow scissors....and chopped off the legs.... then put on their under shirts and called it a swim suit. If "no street clothes" is the criteria....no worries! I most certainly would NOT let them wear this on ANY street:)
They had so much fun swimming with Dad and Harrison. Troy would carry them both and they would chase Harrison. They would jump off the edge to him over and over. Being that it was a Thursday night.....we had the whole pool to ourselves.
The girls had something so important to show me. They kept beckoning me to COME HERE!! When I got to the couch....it just looked like a throw and some pillows......
But......Ta Dah!!!!! How tricky!
Oh my .......another one!
Iley practicing her core strengthening exercises? She can do the "bridge" action about anywhere!
Even while watching Mary Poppins.
Maybe a little stomach work while this boring guy is singing......
Or maybe it's just singing in any form that makes her restless? Wren sat as still as a stone the entire movie and never missed a thing. Iley who can hear AND see now.....was much more restless, and left at the end to take a bath before it was completely done. Wren doesn't budge from a movie until the words start coming up the screen.
That is some SCARY HAIR!
Seriously! WHAT do you have to do to get your hair to do this with NO product? Wow!
And as usual.....Iley ends up right next to Wren....doesn't matter that there is barely enough room for her there. Two little brown barbaloots in their barbaloot suits:) soft and squeezy!
Wren is definitely more subdued with her implants on. I don't know if it's just not being used to wearing the equipment, and being afraid of knocking it all off, or if it's the added sense that has her mellowed. One friend said maybe this will take her from hurricane... to just "gale force winds" Ha Ha! It IS a nice break! BUT......Really I hope she's back to her lively self soon. She wears me out, but her business is just that...business....it's the tantrums, and defiance, and sheer stubborn...do it my way attitude that drains me. We are making progress, and I am seeing it less all the time....but whew.... she can make me crazy! We know this is part of the bonding, and attachment issues that come with kids from institutional environments. I'm sure her independence and stubborn tenacity helped her survive where there was no one to stick up for her. Add to that... that a LOT of deaf kids (I've been told) are pretty stubborn and try to control their world.......and we have our work cut out for us:) Thank you all for your prayers on her behalf.....and ours. We love this stubborn little daughter inspite of it all. I just know there is a beautiful little soul in there that is really nurturing, and a server, helper, and worker by nature. I'm thankful that I serve a God who is The healer of hearts....and it doesn't rely on me.
Lest you think she is a stinker all the time......she's NOT. Most of the time she's cheery and loves life in general. She wakes up.....early....at the same time every day like clock work (we have even blacked out her windows....hoping she will sleep later...no use)......with a can't wait to get the day started mentality (poor thing has a mother who is NOT a morning person!) I'm not overly friendly till I've been up for a bit and had a cup of coffee! She's just a little TOO chipper, and too rough and rammy that early! She's tough as nails, and SMART! This girl is going to go places.......mark my words. She is the leader in every activity with her and Iley...when they are by themselves. She can often persuade Iley to go outside with her.....seriously, she does.....with very little words. Lots of facial expression....much gesturing...and if that fails, she shrugs her shoulders, with an "I tried" shrug......and goes off on her own. Iley even waits for her to pick her toothbrush....then picks the exact same one.....which then inspires Wren to pick a different one......which makes Iley pick hers just like that one....So Wren will change hers again.....this would go on and on.....but mom says ENOUGH! Just brush your teeth!!! I can't wait till Wren can communicate more! She is very one dimensional at this point, but I just know there is a lot of personality in there wanting to come out, but not knowing how. So much of her personality is unrefined. Her humor is all physical....what she can see. She LOVES Tom and Jerry for this reason....and all like cartoons. They are physical, and self explanitory. I want her to be able to understand the subtle humor in the give and take, in conversation. Or listen to a comedian and "get it" And to just NOT be left out of conversations.
Iley's english is taking off. It's so hilarious to listen to her chatter. She usually has a running commentary with Wren while playing. We need to make sure her pronunciation is right, or she's going to teach Wren to talk all wrong! And the things she picks up are a hoot.......Harrison sat her up on the bed to put her shoes on and she pitched herself backwards and yelled "incoming!" Think she's hanging out with the male species a little much? Or she'll say "OK FINE!" Then.... When we were getting ready to fill our cups at the drink station while on our trip, I started to fill hers with water....she says no no no...while signing it too....then signs "black drink"....then she signs "not water"...."brown drink" she didn't know what it was called but she knows what it looks like!!LOL Everything is "it's a Iley's shoes" or "its a Iley's whatever" Iley do it. She is trying to figure out the brother sister relation ships. She knows that her and Wren are sisters, and that the boys are brothers. She pointed to Troy and me and said...mama, babba....brothers? Not quite:) When she's hollering for me around the house it's always "Oh Mommy" Oh Mommy" so I say O whatie? She's a total ham.
