IPOD...oh boy

My daughter, CA has been earning money all summer to save up for IPOD touch.  She finally got one and has been using it more than I thought. (GOOD!) To be honest I didn't think she would use it enough ..unlike her MP3 ..which has been sorely neglected for two years.  Anyway, she has been letting Cory listen some of her songs , I strongly advise her to be careful not to have it up loud or anything that would turn him off.  With CI, it is a difference experience..I have tried CD playing with songs etc.  Cory doesn't like it and asked me to turn it off.  So ..now with IPOD..Cory seems to enjoy it..or was it because of his sister?  who knows?   She has a fake IPOD and she gave it to him to play with.  He has it all the times, pretending to play with it etc.  oh oh..
Too funny, yesterday, he ran up to me and said "Where is my Iphone?"  He said the word clearly!   Im like IPhone??  I guess that is what he called it.   LOL

this is ...sad? terrible? or funny? I honestly don't know how I feel..

Well..yesterday we had our speech session since it has been a while (since end of June), we took an advantage of it if we are "home" from the summer vacations.
Anyway, she noticed that Cory has been using words a lot using his voice..which it is great!  and he did well with listening.
yes..there is a but.. coming..(I'm kinda of giggling about this..) and I am a little embarrassed too.
C (speech therapist) asked me to say few words..and some sounds.  Then she asked Cory too.  I put two and two together..and I had to ask her straightforward, "Does Cory sounds like me?"   You guess it..yes.   Oh my gosh!  It is partly my fault because sometimes when I'm talking to him..I do it slowly or putting too much effort in sounds or not "talking" to him NORMALLY as you would talk to another person.  I only did that because I think (or assumed)  it is easier for him to understand, and I assumed it would be at the start of learning process..then eventually I will talk to him normally as I would normally talk to you or me.   It is NO NO.  Cory is actually doing that!   I think I was focusing too hard on speech and trying too hard.  Knowing myself I'm not a perfect "speech" talking person for Cory so I tend try too hard. 
No harm done..it's something I have to constantly remember to not to exaggerate in any "way" with spoken language. 

Kinda of funny how someone noticed that..at least he "hereditary" my voice.  LOL  my son!

I had to post this! This is for my daughter...

I found this article interesting other day and it was so dead on for my daughter. I had a good laugh.  When she gets older (or when I do decided when she is allowed to date..gulp)

Have a good laugh..
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/opinion/88460967.html?period=W&period=W&period=W&period=W&mpStartDate=04-12-2010&

bed time routines..it's driving me crazy!

I have been cutting down his nappings to 30 minutes a day.  Imagine from the time (a year ago) he used to nap for 3 hours? The only reason I'm cutting down his naps is because he doesn't go to sleep until late.  But it seems not really the "CASE"..I don't think.   I figured it will take few weeks to get to used to that.  Now it's two and half weeks later.  His bed time is still struggling..varies from one night to another.   ugh.   When I wake him up from nap.boy is he ever cranky!! I just leave him alone and do my own thing.  Don't let him get to me! You know I get irriated easily. WHEN he doesn't have a nap..WATCH out..its not fun to watch him get into tempers several time from afternoon to bed time.  I don't want to deal with that.   He is uncooperative, would scream, cry and cry and so on.    So anyway, when it's bed time..it is somewhat better but not every night.  Some nights, he just fall asleep within 10 minutes, but other night..a hour and half later WITH our intervention!! We had to come in few times to "settled" him down.  (we have a video monitor..old one , used to be for CA when she was a baby)  We did tried several different things to see whether he can fall asleep on his own  when he is playing, signing to himself, waving arms..it would take him a hour or so to go sleep!   Then of course, he never sleep in, he gets up at same time every morning!  Regardless of when he goes to bed (not eariler..but I'm tempting..)
We had to get into his room to stop his "playing"..moving so much and signing.  We thought it (playing/talking) would help him to fall asleep faster but it doesn't ..it makes him wide awake even more!  therefore, bed time stretch to later time! I kid you not.   So we have to sit with him when he is like that , to remind him to not to "play" by firmly touch him by his back.   Sometimes it takes few attempts then eventually he fall asleep.  Sean said he doesn't want to do this anymore!  Neither do I!   I am not sure what to do..
Someone said just leave him..and he is not going anywhere, eventually he will go asleep.  I had to laugh..that is not easy.  Because he will be very cranky the next day, I have to "deal with him"..we would not enjoy our outing or plans if he is that mood.  And what about school?  Then he will be uncooperative, misbehaving and tired in classroom.  He will miss the learning stuff. 
Any thoughts...I am up to this point to ask the doctor about this. 

We

Swim Head band...something to consider?

It does bugs me that Cory is not "hearing" at the pool daily and kids try to talk to him but of course, once they realized ...it singled him out.   When we were at the Waterslides, we often had to chase him to get his attention..I can see my husband's frustrations.  I am used to it..but there are two of us now that he has to chase after.  LOL.   My husband did at one time, comments that I'm so lucky that I can't "hear" all that noises, "lucky you.." he says.  
I did realized the difference, after a swim, I would put my aids back on and got startled by all the noises at the pool.  It's louder than I realized...did I really missed out?  yes and no..


I got to thinking about Cory..is that fair?   I know that one mom has mentioned about the food saver and swim cap..check out this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYTg7dmsrpo

Sean doesn't want Cory to wear a swim cap.."Over my dead body.." he says.
I have to admit..I do feel the same way..butttttttttt he is missing out the essential part of his environment!
So my search is on...I came upon this website.  I am willing to let him wear this!   Your feedbacks would be greatly appreciated!  http://www.allstarcanada.ca/contents/en-us/d24.html

He can with Nucleus 5..so it's water resistant more than other models..so add that to swim head band?  How bad could this be?  I planned to ask the audiologist at the hospital about it...just to see how they feel.

Summer is half way over..

Today we are going to Mingle and Play program at BC Family Hearing Resource Center.   We weren't sure if we were going to go when they first presented.  It's hard to see where we are in the summer at the time.  But now with CA's soccer training starting this week, we have no choice but to come home for that and now we will take an advantage of their summer program.  I have some parents encouraging us to go!! Will let you know how that goes...
Its too bad that I didn't the the opportunity to try the Whatcom Early Learning Summer Program in Washington, one thing we missed it due to being overtired and too busy the weekend before.  And second one , we opt not to go because of the distance!  So next week there is one..we will decided whether we will go or not.  Mainly, it's because of Carrie-Anne..so I have to figure out how to keep her busy too.

Yesterday we went to the TransCanada Waterslides..wow it was perfect.  NO lineups..very quiet, weather perfect..not too hot..not too cloudy either.   We lucked out...although it did closed at 5pm due to thunderstorms in the area.  But that is ok..because we were there from 11 am to 5pm.  The kids were getting tired.   One thing that we noticed..Cory did really missed out the sounds and hearing around him.  We got frustrated at times trying to tell him things or calling him out so in results we have to chase him to get his attentions!  LOL.  I did thought about letting him wearing his CI..but I was more concerned about it falling off due to the waterslide impacts.  We had to give him a Timeout for running...after several times telling him NOT to run!  (it's so slippery) I know that there is alot of kids running too.  So during Timeout, I explained to him that he has to be careful because of his CI'S and if he falls and hit his head, we would have to leave and go to the hospital to check for his head injury.  I told him that he has CI and other children doesn't.   He said to me "I don't have it on right now".   I told him that remember the surgery?  You had something implanted in your head?  You can feel the bump?"  He felt it and he was bit astonished!  Its like he didn't know about it all that time!!  IT was priceless to see the look on his face.   AND now he gets it. After Timeout, he went to tell daddy that he has to "be careful" not to run and slip because of CI! He said that!!!   So he was more careful after that!  Awesome!  It is amazing to have sign language at that level in order for him to understand things better!
We had a great day..at first he wouldn't go down the waterslides so we had to go down few times with him and once he passed that fear.  He was on his own!  He loves the tubing the best.   lol.