The power of CI teens making a difference!!!

Be prepared to be amazed, humbled, and entertained.  Sometimes I get so focused on ALL we have to learn daily about audiograms, MAPings, speech, listening, auditory verbal therapy, ling sounds, trouble shooting CIs etc that it can be easy to forget that how Landri hears is a "lifetime commitment".  I get so focused on helping her meet our daily and monthly goals that it can be easy to think...once she is listening and speaking then...that's it!  I sort of forget that Landri will have a lifetime to educate people on how she is different/special :-) and that someday she will advocate for herself on issues that are important to her......likely hearing related and not!  Thank goodness for fabulous role models like the teens in this video.  Seriously!  It is amazing that just years ago CIs were thought to just help people hear a car coming to know to get out of the street or to hear a smoke alarm.  Now kids are singing, enjoying music, and changing perceptions.  Please take 5 minutes to watch the amazing work of these kids and spread the word!  Landri's future is bright!

Here's the video link!!
Amazing video of CI teens making a difference

A hearing pocket!?

Landri's right ear will be "activated" one week from today!  This is where the audiologists program and hook up the external pieces that Landri will wear on her right ear.....same set up as on the left.   I am so excited to see if Landri has a reaction.  She didn't do much when she heard sound in her left ear for the first time, but now that sound has meaning to her I am anxious to see how she receives her new surround sound.  I am for sure that Landri is wondering what her right ear is for.  She has decided to use it as a pocket. :-)  Ya know how most kids Landri's age put everything in their mouths......Landri tries to put everything in her right ear.....never her left.  When she walks around outside she is always trying to put rocks in her right ear....she sat on the deck for about 20 minutes today trying out different rocks that Halle had found in her ear.  We have had to pull the car over because she got a cheerio wedged in there and thankfully we were able to get it out.  She tries to put straws in her ears, wood chips, food.......all her most favorite treasures.  I think she wonders what that thing is for.  I can't wait for her to realize that we will now use that ear to hear!  A hearing pocket......what a good use! 

We've been busy!!!

I've been wanting to get a post up getting caught up on all of Halle's activities!  She has been busy with school, soccer, softball, dance, and cheer!  She joined a singing group at her school and they had a performace a few months ago.  I was thrilled to get her in a little dress so here are some of my fave pics from the night!  I was super proud of her because their practices were before school and she never complained once about getting up early.  She has a FAB music teacher that does a great job with the kids! 

She is just starting softball so I will get more pics up of that once the season gets going.  She has dress rehearsal for dance this week!  Halle is in 5 dances at recital so it is a miracle if we make it to recital in June with all outfits intact!  She loves dance this year....loves it!  She moved up a couple of levels this year and is challenged more. She loves it!  She is one of the youngest ones in her classes....if not the youngest...but I think that has been good for her.  She does all of her classes on Tuesday nights and we get a 45 minute break in the middle where we get dinner with other moms and dots. I look forward to Tuesdays and spending time with her. She is growing up before my eyes.  She recently had cheer tryouts and placements. 

 Halle was thrilled to find out she moved up into the Junior division. She is so excited!  She gets to travel to more competitions this year......I nearly went into cardiac arrest reading the financial requirements, but we will get thru it!  I am really proud of her. She works really hard going to extra tumbling classes and open gyms to work on her skills.  She really loves it and I love to see her hard work pay off.  Cheer is a hardcore sport these days!  Those girls have to work so hard and be so athletic. We also took a trip to Mall of America and American Girl Doll Store. We had such a great time! 

It was so nice to get away. We met Greg's fam there and his Aunt and Uncle and cousin.  It was so nice!  We also had several people come up to us sharing their Cochlear Implant stories/connections....or asking us about what Landri's CI was. It was the first time since she has had her CI that we have traveled to a larger city and I couldn't believe how many great families we met thru starting conversations about Landris' CI.  I can't believe Halle is almost done with 3rd grade.....seriously?  It has been such a great year for her I wish I could freeze time.  She is growing too fast.  :-)