6 months and counting!!

So it has been six months since Chloe began her hearing journey - six months ago she pretty much had stopped vocalizing all together and now she has lots of words in both her expressive (what she says) and receptive (what she understands) language.  Just tonight I decide to track all the different words she used...and I stopped tracking when I hit 2 dozen words.  That 2 dozen words in six months time - blessing!! 

Just the other day wwe were enjoying a snow day at home and when looking outside I told her it had snowed and she said "Brrr" and pretended to shiver.  I agreed with her and said, yes it is very cold outside.  That same day we were playing downstairs (with the wood stove roaring) and I was going to go upstairs to check on supper.  She was all upset with me that I was leaving and was telling me "up, up, up" - I told her "if you want to go up you need to find your socks and shoes!"  Chloe stopped, looked at me and turned around to walk straight to her socks and shoes which were across the room right where we took them off.

I have tried to catch her on video talking back and forth or during moments when I "quiz" her about all that is around her - animal sounds, what's this questions, etc...but it is very hard to get her on video!

Here is just a small highlight of Chloe: She is also starting to master using silverware which is what I initally tried to capture but of course fingers are better on camera too!



Working with Chloe at home doesn't feel any differently as it did when Sydney was around her age.  Granted we work with her every day on certain tasks and checks with her cochlear implants and she is receiving speech therapy or like activities three times a week - but her progress so far in her hearing journey is remarkable to think where she was just six months ago.  Oh don't get me wrong, it is no easy task getting her here or what lies ahead in her future but with lots of hard work and faith - we are all on this journey together!

An Amazing 2012...

Chloe's journey in 2012 sure has been quite the rollercoaster ride - lots of UPs and downs and fast curves but we have survived it all (a pure blessing from God that we do not take for granted) and looking forward to a great 2013 - but maybe with a little let drop kick to our knees, please... thought I would take time to review Chloe's Journey in 2012

 Received results from genetic testing that Chloe's hearing loss is due to a gene mutation... March 2012
First set of tubes and MRI that confirmed Chloe's hearing nerve was present... May 2012
Rushed appointment to Neurosurgeon - concerns of cyst found during MRI... June 2012
Chloe's first cochlear implant surgery... July 2012
Activation of Chloe's first cochlear implant... August 2012
Chloe's second cochlear implant surgery... August 2012
Activation of Chloe's second cochlear implant... August 2012
All the different sessions, meetings, etc with Chloe's Educational Team... Ongoing
Miles and Miles to Boys Town National Research Hospital (Love this place!)... Ongoing
Miles and Miles to Heartland Speech for speech services (Another Amazing place!)... Ongoing
Rushed trip to Children's Hospital due to thought pneumonia... October 2012
Second set of tubes... October 2012
Another round of chest x-rays, breathing treatments for mona/walking pneumonia... November 2012

Seeing Chloe turn to the sound of a bell for the first time, Watching Chloe explore the sounds during bathtime, Hearing Chloe say Mama & Dada for the first time (and all the time), All the jabber and chatter that fills our house, The first words (Up, Moo for Cow, Ut Uh, Out, All Done, Hot, Please, Hat, Help, Sydney, Donna), Having Chloe understand simple conversations, And seeing the girls play together and talk back and forth...

PRICELESS!!

We are thankful for the blessings God provides us each and everyday - we are reminded how precious our two girls are each and everyday - We thank from the bottom of our hearts our family that supports us through Chloe's Journey, Our employers who understand that our family comes first and allows us to take the time away from our work to do so, The AMAZING Team that works with Chloe each and everyday - And for all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Our Blessings...

As Thanksgiving is right around the corner - I want to take this time to reflect and express our thankfulness.  Brian and I could not be more thankful for the Team that is working with Chloe and all the love, support and encouragement we receive from family and friends!  

Sydney Mae teaches me patience every day and reminds me that you learn all you do by asking so many questions.  She can turn any given moment into a game - and her smile is contagious.  She is learning so much in preschool - she counted to 149 the other day (prompted her a little past 100) and stopped only because she was tired of counting.  Her love for books comes from me but her "hoarding" every little piece of something comes from her dad.

Chloe Jean's progress through her hearing journey has taken off in leaps and bounds and there is no way we ever expected such amazing results.  My heart is filled with joy when I say bye bye to Chloe and she runs to me wanting a kiss - in a little over 3 months ago - that communication did not come as easy to our family.  But it shows that Chloe is working with a great team who is pushing her harder and harder each week as well as surrounding her with support and encouragement.  We also understand that there are going to be low moments where it seems as if she is not making any progress at all - and we can tackle that hurdle when we get there.  The fact that she smiles and gets excited to see her CIs in the morning - her face is priceless - shows me that she is enjoying her "hearing" journey just as much as we are!

Happy Thanksgiving from our hearts to yours!
(Chloe had a few things to say too - although she gets quiet when the camera is running)

Checking In - 3 months!

Can't believe October has came and went - been very busy in our house!  Chloe was healthy enough to get tubes a few weeks ago - hopefully this will prevent us from more ear infections.  Surgery didn't seem to bother her too much but she is done having her oxygen level checked and screams when she see it - and the only person that could make her smile that day was Dr. Lusk.  I would have to agree with Chloe - he is an amazing person (Mom smiles too).  Now if I can only keep both girls in a bubble and away from all the crud going around.

October brings us Halloween - and Chloe wasn't so sure about the whole costume idea - but thankfully we were able to capture a few pictures.  Little Bo Peep and her Sheep (thanks to their very talented Grandma)

Chloe's walk through her hearing journey is amazing - she is responding so well to speech and sounds and making leaps and bounds with her progress (its only been 3 months since she heard that first sound of the bell ringing).  Chloe is responding to her name majority of the time (some of the time I believe she hears me, but is choosing to ignore my request) - makes several sounds of her own Moo for cow, Maa for milk, Dadda, Mama, Uhh for up, Mo for more, Sss for a snake...just to name a few.  Lately she likes to play with her John Deere camera and holds it up to her face and says "EEEE" for cheese.  Her receptive language is very strong as well - She is starting to look for toys (objects) with no visual cues, example "Where's your ball, Chloe?" - and she will go look for a ball.  Chloe is also pointing to her ear when she hears a new sound or a sound she recognizes implying "I heard that!"  And of course, her dad taught her "touchdown" to help cheer on the Huskers!  Chloe is a very busy little girl and likes to be playing right next to her sister - it's cute to see the two of them play together.

Haven't talked a lot lately about Chloe's cochlear implants (CI) in terms of the device, thought I would share ... There are lots of pieces and parts to Chloe's CIs - and in order for this Mom to stay organized, I purchased and tweaked a mini storage unit to help with it all.  The two units on the side are dryers; the CIs are taken apart (7 total pieces) each night to dry and have the batteries recharged.  We also have several different color options because this Mom likes to coordinate her CIs with her outfit for the day!!

We are truly blessed to be where we are at today - Chloe has an amazing "team" of individuals that help her succeed in her journey - 

CrAzY wEeK

Crazy isn't even the right word to explain this past week - getting the call the Chloe needs to be admitted to Children's Hospital of pneumonia, plus stop by the office first to get her "stats" to be approved to skip the ambulance ride was more than I was expecting.  But good news is that Chloe did not have pneumonia but a viral broncolitis.  Spent the night to be monitored (as Monday night she was wheezing and having troubles breathing) but released Wednesday and has been running laps since.  She is a tough kid that is for sure - she does have an ear infection (left) and fluid (right) and is currently taking antibiotics - as soon as she gets a clean bill of health from our amazing Doctor, she will again have surgery for tubes. :( Disappointed, yea a little - we are ready to be done with this chapter and move on to the fun learning things!

Speaking of fun things, her are a few things we have caught Chloe doing this week:
Eee (and signs with one finger to her lips) for Eat
Elo or something like that when she holds a phone to her ear
After she hears a door close, she will sometimes look at it and wave bye bye (at hospital, didn't see them leave)
My phone made a sound for new text message, and she looked for my phone and held hand up to her cheek
She liked to watch out of the hospital window and made lots of vrrr vrrr sounds as the cars went by

We are working with some higher frequency sounds, like Sss, to see if we can get her to respond.  And although we haven't gotten her to turn her head, there have been a few examples here within the last few days that she has repeated or spontaneously made the Sss sound.  Maybe, just maybe she is hearing it but not giving you the true reaction... something to keep working on.

Thought you might like to see how active (and noisy) she can be ... I know you are suppose to be quiet while waiting in the doctor's office - but this Mom can't quite tell her to stop chattering, I just enjoy it too much!

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.