My little fish!

It's official.  He is now swimming like a little fish in the big pond (pool)..unfortunately, it's almost at the end of the summer.  Oh well..I look forward to NEXT summer, NOT having to go in the pool with him all the times now.  (doing the happy dances...)   I don't care much for swimming..unless its on a HOT day..just a quick dip or two.  I had to laugh..at the beginning of the summer. We made a mistake of letting him wear his swim suit with floater inside..for safety reasons.  You know how busy he is and get into mischief?  so after swimming lessons in Spring, he was starting to swim and back and forth.  Then two weeks later, we start our summer at BBay and been to the pool daily.  Because he can't really hear me without his CI, so I can't run fast enough to catch him in case, he jumps in big pool.  He is quite stubborn that way.  so I realized that one day after a week and half of pool time, we decided to take off the floater and let him practice with us in pool.  He sank like a ship!  oy oy..and we thought oh boy..we need to practice bit.  He would be screaming and crying..so we put him on the edge for timeout.   He was so stubborn.  He doesn't want to practice his skills as taught from his swim class..I thought  no way.  we came that far, we need to continue.  You know how Cory knows how to be a "drama" queen especially when there's an "audience"?  he would screamed and cried on top of his lungs.  Yes, we were embarrassed by that but he was placed in time out until he is ready to try again.  I told him just practice three things for 15 minutes then you can go play.   NOPE he doesn't want to!   it is quite cute to see him sitting there with eye crossed and arms crossed and glared at us.  So we just ignored him and swim away for bit..then after 5 minutes of TO, we try again.  He would screamed again.  TO again!  I thought wow..that kid is really testing us.   We did told him BEFORE going swimming that he has to practice bit, even we asked CA to do the same so she did her "part".  It didn't take her long to finish.   so again, 5 minutes, same thing, over and over.  TO, try again, he said no don't want to. Then I told him when you're ready..let me know.  He sat there glaring at me.  Its almost like I want to give up but Sean said don't give in..he is so good at that.  30 minutes..it was time to go. oh well.  Swimming is over.  Then of course, Cory wants to practice and try again.  it was too late.  The pool closed for adults only.   Of course, he got upset and I said well..you were being stubborn.  You want to swim, then you have to practice.  The "floater" is forever banned now.   Then the next day..it was much better, he accepted it but was pretty much useless unlike he did at the swim class.  wow..so we did it everyday..before go "play" we practice for 15 minutes top.  His confidence really builds up then, shortly then he was pretty much jumping off the edge like crazy.  (he was scared before) and then just last week of August.  He just literally started going from his own now.  He jumped off and swim back to edge.  He swam to the bottom and touch it or retrieved a toy.  He goes from me to Sean or pretty much just on his own.  One lady from BBay is pretty impressed, she said she remembered him in July , screaming and crying with swimming and now look at him.  

One thing that made the difference is the new goggle that I got from Costco..it really helps as well.  We didn't have it until mid August. 
 I love the new swim cap he have now...I have to take a photo of it.  IT is SO MUCH BETTER than Swim cap (rubbery kind?)  It keeps the CI in place..I'm not saying that we use it in the pool.

On the lighter side...only one CI.

You know that Cory has BI-CI;s.   (two Cochlear Implants) , well..I don't know if this is lazy part of me but in the summer, he only wore one (his preferred 1st) most of the time now.  We did try few times to get him to wear both but we often had to take it off too many times because of bike helmet, swimming, beach and even rough playing.  It ends up in my pocket but I did lost it once because I threw it away by accident! oy!  I must have thought it was something else..found it in the garbage.   Not good..I realized that it's best to keep them in dryer jar and try again when school starts.  We have been home for few days and we have been prompting him to wear both now. Pool and Beach days are over..but he has been resisting it.  ugh.   It would tell me that he doesn't need it.   I try to ask why..he hasn't given me any answer.  He would just run away.   I don't know if this is going to be a problem...

wow..what a summer!

I can't tell you what we did..too much to mention!!  In a nutshell, we spent most of our summer at Birch Bay!! Cory made some friends and he has been pretty much on his own but yes..he is still up to mischief.  but that's normal, all boys do.   The highlights are using his speech more and talking, but he still talk in "ASL" sentences.  LOL.   I am a poor example for him because I don't use "a" "the" "is" etc while signing.   It is hard to sign and talk EXACT English at the same time.  OY!  But I decided to leave that for others, it's not gonna be me.   Cory and I have a mutual agreement with that anyway!    My parents has been working with him and using their voices.  They figured out real quick that he understands more than most people think..(I already knew that..he is a smart cookie that way!!) He would pretend that he didn't get it.  But when being told at first, he ignored us...then I just started to count 1, 2, ..and he took off running and do what he is suppose to do.   My parents were pretty impressed!  They have been trying to encouraging me to get CI too, I knew that day will come.   How could you NOT be impress with this "result" ?   I had to explain all the Pros and Cons, and seriously, I would love to get one without ANY of  these complications!!  It's not an easy decision nor an easy thing to do!  I have to admit..I am curious about it.   I know I won't meet the criticias of getting one...unless my hearing's decreased and hearing aids eventually doesn't work for me anymore.  THEN I will get one. 
Moving on..
Summer at Birch Bay, Cory was more involved in events that we were able to have him to try out, Sports Day, Kids' Day at the Pool, Discovery Day Parade, Fireworks (USA birthday) etc...
He has moved on to the BIGGER bike now..and has been doing few "tricks" which I can't watch!! He is a daredevil and has NO fear!  oy.   I love that little ramp, we found in the dumpster for bike or skateboard, Sean said to me..if Cory get seriously hurt, he will be very upset.   Naturally, we put it on the grass, and told him to use his little bike for that.  First time, he just went over, very s l o w l y.   Noooo, that's not the way to do it.   Told him that he has to go faster and jump over it...so he took a long way back and start pedalling down.  Then closer, closer and hahahahaha!!! He went right around it!  we had a good laugh with that one.
Few weeks ago..it has been constantly on the run with him, he wants to go to the park, then bike rides, then play in field, play soccer, play ball, etc.  I get tired and do want to take a break.  There was this book from library and it was due in two days. I had to finish it.  Cory wants to play basketball at the park. I'm like groannnnnnnnnn..look I'm gonna stay here and read this book.  He said ok..you stay mom. I'll go and come back in 15 minutes.   Sure, why not? it's not far. 5 mins walk just around the bend.     My mom came by..looked around "where is Cory?"  I was still reading and replied "at the park".   My mom gave me a puzzled look and left.   Sean came back from biking.  "where is Cory?"  I said the same thing.   Sean was like ????   Cory said he will be back in 15 minutes..it has been 10 minutes.   Sean gave me this "look"...  I continued reading...
Sean said ok..I'll wait about 5 minutes then I'll check on him.   But sure enough, he came back..15 minutes on dot!  I just burst laughing...holy cow!!    He is a smart one...
I found out later, as we were walking around the park.  Several people have been telling us that they noticed that Cory was on his "own" and they were wondering where I was and kept an "eye" on him...I'm sure my face was bright red!   But were impressed that he was fine on his own and came back home shortly after.   They weren't sure if he was lost or something. 
More to tell later...
Got to run.  Happy September!!! Glad to be home..it was bittersweet!