The little things...

Sometimes you take the little things in life for granted - might even go by without noticing all the sounds you are exposed to during the day.  Chloe does a good job of reminding me - that if you stop and listen - there is always something you can find to listen to.  Here are just a few examples from Home...

During meal time, Chloe was in her high chair but finished eating.  Brian had her focused as he was playing a tickle game with her, however, Chloe stopped looked out the window and waved to a grain truck that drove by (our windows were open).

During family pictures outside near a highway, Chloe looked at 80% of the vehicles that drove by and waved - most of the time her back was to the highway and she was engaged in something else.

She has now learned about the clothes dryer - when she "helps" me do laundry, she pushes the clothes in and closes the door, and just this week she made a "rrrr" noise before I started it - and smiled and shook her head yes once I did start it

Chloe is chattering quite a bit more these days - and I like to use that word over babbling as there are more variances - but she is still being "nice & quite" during all her weekly "sessions" - Little Stinker!  Chloe also has started to turn to her name...it may take the second time we say it, but she is starting to put all the pieces together.

Took some time out of our busy schedule to just be a family - have some fun - and enjoy being outside during a beautiful (almost) fall evening.  Chloe is learning how to walk outdoors and with her shoes - even was able to kick the ball once or twice.  But it was an unfair advantage to me trying to play soccer and carry her around when she didn't want to be on the grass.  

Sydney started dance a few weeks ago and just LOVES it - she likes to show off all her new "tricks" she has learned - can't wait to watch her recital later down the road.  

There are days where I think we are doing great and then there are days where I have a hard time keeping up with the basics of a family of four.  Trying to find the balance of mother, laundry maid, wife, cleaning fairy, employee, chef... just to name a few, is tough.  But then having a night like tonight - there is nothing that I wouldn't give up - the laundry can wait (for a few days) and why not write your grocery list in the dust that can be found everywhere and my girls are only little once - it doesn't always hit me right away, but just getting down on the floor with my girls or seeing the small reactions from Chloe makes it worth everything!!

Week 5 of Chloe's Hearing Journey

Eating Cheetos!

Each day we are slowly noticing more and more... Her babbling is progressing as far as new sounds she is making.  Just a few of the sounds we hear her make are Ahh (airplane), Moo (her version) for cow, Mmm and Rawr (her version) for dinosaur.

Waiting to jump in!

Getting Chloe ready for bath time is quite the interesting task.  Although every time it reminds me how thankful I am to have chosen the water proof device as it gives us excellent language and learning time while all of us are stuck in the bathroom.  We have now moved her into our bathtub with her big sister and she thinks that is just great!  But I do think Sydney feels a little more restricted and she has to sit the whole time and stay on her side of the tub as Chloe is still learning on moving around within the tub.

Now that the weather has cool down a little bit - Chloe has discovered she loves the outdoors.  She loves to swing and unfortunately her slide.  I say unfortunately because the slide has static.  Static is something we have to stay clear from as it can either provide her with feedback or it can even wipe out one of her programs.  We are finding alternative ways to keep her entertained outside and that includes feeding the cows and four-wheeler rides with Dad!  Both of our girls love the outdoors just as much as we do -

Vroom Vroom

Just a few days ago we made a return trip to Boys Town (NO cameras this time) for additional mapping.  And Chloe is already showing them her own personality and rules to the "game."  Chloe doesn't always give them the reaction they are looking for my turning her head - typically she likes to play away with the toy and then once the sound stops she looks up, smiles and then waves or she imitates the sound (if she can).  Little stinker.  But after a few attempts and finally just letting her play on the floor - they were able to get some feedback from her which allowed them to tweak her programs just a little bit more.

Driving Miss Chloe

Chloe is "walking" - by no means not ready for laps around the house - but she is getting braver and braver with her steps.  Like tonight, she would stand up in the middle of the room, walk to a toy, play and little and then turn and walk to another destination.  Her balance is improving and she thinks she is ready to be walking while carrying her blanket.  Needless to say, she is not as happy when she falls....

Even enjoys playing the piano, which she  ignored before her CIs.

Chloe's Story.... video from Boys Town

We are thankful for Boys Town Hospital for choosing Chloe to follow and create an amazing video of her journey.  We invite you to take a look at this video, if you are softhearted, you may want to grab a tissue:

WOW!! Second Activation

There is so much media stuff going on right now thought I would share!

Boys Town Hospital did a press release in celebration of their 500th cochlear implant and with that we had a TON (it seemed that way for this mom) of media there today during activation.  Here are just a few of the links:
KMTV - Omaha
MSNBC - NBC 
WOWT - Omaha
Omaha World Herald
KETV - Omaha

Activation was a success - I would say that there wasn't as much of a "Aha" moment - but we know and saw that she was responding to the sounds. Her time in the booth was probably when we saw it the most - as she would turn (sometimes still to the right as that is where she has been hearing from this past month) her head and wave to whatever light and character seemed to be "talking" to her.  

AND then you have to check out the first of two videos they have created... On YouTube search for BoysTown Hospital and cochlear implant and there is a video called "what is a cochlear implant"
Or click here: What is a Cochlear Implant

The second video will be more of just Chloe's story and I will post once it has been uploaded.


We truly feel blessed to be working with Boys Town Hospital and the CI Team as well as all of our "team" members - we would not be where we are today without all of the support we have that surrounds us.  We understand and realize that there is a lot of hard work ahead of us - but in a way fun and energizing as well to see her grow in her hearing journey.  

The sound of hearing her babble again and make all these little steps 

is purely amazing for this mom...just warms my heart!!

It's surgery day #2

We arrived and were all checked in by 7am! Chloe did very well of being distracted and wasn't fussy about not getting her milk. She played in the toy room and gave lots of big cheesy smiles and waves to the wonderful staff we have today.

Chloe got her own special wagon ride to the OR and we were told she was all smiles!!

She should be back in recovery within the hour. Can't wait to talk to Dr Lusk to hear how well it all went!

Noon...She is back from recovery!! Went well with no complications... Might sit a little higher than the other one but that's how her skull accepted it... Soundly sleeping in my arms!

We are home and resting although she's doing so much better than last time!!

Here we go again...Surgery #2

I remember thinking "way back when" they scheduled the first surgery that I really wish the two were closer together - just antsy I guess for Chloe to have both of her CIs...but boy, where did that time go??  Here we are again, the night before her second surgery.  Tomorrow she will receive her left cochlear implant... yeah, I know, I should be in bed, but who really needs sleep these days?

Over this past weekend, we celebrated Chloe's First Birthday (yes, a little early)... Where has that time gone?  Honestly, the first few months are a blur but what seemed like forever to get to where we are today is here...Chloe was surrounded by family and close friends who helped sing her Happy Birthday - and with lots of hard work and a lil patience (maybe a lot of it), we are here - awaiting her second surgery.


God truely reminds me how much he has control - as much as I want to organize, plan and re-organize all of my life steps - he pops in and reminds me to have Faith, Patience, and Trust he has a master plan for me and my family.  Not a day goes by that we aren't thankful for the circle of faith, prayers, thoughts, and encouragement that surrounds us and our family, we wouldn't be here without all of you, helping our little blessing through what is an amazing journey ... We ask that you say a little prayer for Chloe to be comfortable during surgery and recovering quickly back into our arms, we ask for strong and steady hands of the surgeon and surgery staff tomorrow...

Week 1 of Chloe's Hearing Journey

When they told us we would come home with a suitcase full of accessories, they were not lying.  Thank goodness the upper level is assigned to the girls - it has saved us from not building an addition!  Chloe is primarily wearing her AB Neptune processor, and yes, it is PINK!



Chloe is doing amazing if you ask her mom!!  For the most part she is leaving her CI (cochlear implant) alone and when she does pull at it she tries to give it to you.  Sort of cute if you would ask me again.  Brian and I are learning to go against the natural of saying "NO" when she pulls it off - and just naturally put the CI back on with out making such a big deal of it.  Otherwise we have been told that it may become more of a game.  I think for less than a week with the CI, she tolerates it well...

We have noticed limited reactions to noise/sound from Chloe but too understand it is very early in her hearing journey.  ((But she might have proved me wrong here within the last few nights, as we have seen more reactions))  It may be months before we can get her to turn her head to the sound of her Daddy coming home or her sister running across the room, the amazing part is we know that she is HEARING.  Chloe was a great the second day of activation and gave them all sorts of feedback to judge where she is at.  However, we have noticed that her babbling has picked up tremendously which is good as it really died off about a month before surgery.  We have been give such great feedback on how extremely well Chloe is doing from her audiologist and speech language pathologist.  So encouraging to hear!!  There have been a few times (for parents and daycare) that once Chloe hears a certain noisy toy or two she promptly shakes her head no and removes her CI.  Hmm, I am thinking she doesn't like the sound of it, what do you think?

"Up, Up, Up"

Can't believe her first birthday is going to be here before we know it!!