Day 2: Jackson and Mr. Basil

Today was the 2nd day (or rather first full day) of Jackson having his BCHA.  We really didn't expect much today, but when I called home at lunchtime, my mom began to tell me how WONDERFULLY he had been doing with it all morning!  We decided that it would just be an expectation and routine for him that when he woke up, before we would take him out of his crib, his BCHA would go on.  No fusses with it this morning!  As soon as we got home, we were greeted by our sweet little man.  He SO loves to be outside and he was quite taken by Mr. Basil and a pinecone.  Mr. Basil is very special to our family.  He was a beautiful plant that has been around for a couple of years now, but we just can't seem to part with him.  Although he might be replaced with Mrs. Basil that now sits in our kitchen!  Sydney has volunteered to take care of her since Mommy didn't do such a great job with Mr. Basil (who by the way was named by Jadon a few years ago).

Jackson is already starting to show a response to our speech.  Just tonight, we were leaving my parents house and Kurt asked Jackson, "Jackson, are you ready to go home?"  Jackson then looked at my dad and waived bye-bye and started to walk towards the door.  We also began to notice this just a day or two before getting his BCHA...we will say to Jackson, "I Love You!"  and he tries sooo hard to say it back to us...it is definitely 3 words that he's trying to say and it does sound like the first word is a close approximation to "I". 

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

I'm not quite sure exactly what or how I expected the first few moments to be when Jackson heard our voices in the "normal hearing" range.  But I can tell you that it wasn't what we got.  I wish now I would have taken a picture of it.  It was heartbreaking, but it was a good thing.  He was hearing us and HE-DIDN'T-LIKE-IT...ONE BIT!  Between the crocodile tears, the nose running, the drool just dripping from his mouth and the sweat coming off of both of us, we were a soggy mess! 

This lasted for about 25 or 30 minutes as we adjusted volume levels and sweet talked him.  All to no avail...until...the receptionist ran to the office next door and brought back a DUM-DUM pop!  We had brought dum dum pops to China with us on Gotcha Day but never gave him any because we just felt like he wasn't ready for them yet.  Well, today I was ready to try anything! 

It settled him down enough to tolerate the bone conduction aid for another 30 minutes while Kathy gave me a refresher course on all of the parts and we discussed options we could try to alter the headband.  This headband CLEARLY is not going to work. It might be ok if he is sitting ABSOLUTELY still...and I can tell you...that AIN'T happenin'!  I'm thinking that silver duct tape might do the trick!  I was able to get a picture of Jackson sitting with Kathy. 

I think that by the time we left, we were both covered in a pretty sticky pink color!  He wore the hearing aid on the drive to the soccer field for about 10-15 minutes and then I had to pull over to get out and get it from the back seat since he pulled it off.  I was able to coax Jackson to wear it on the soccer field and he managed another 45 minutes with it on.  After soccer practice and dinner, we went to Wal-Mart for reinforcers...DUM-DUM pops and jelly beans.  I figured I would get the dum dums first and give him one (I know I'm not supposed to open the bag before paying for it, but we have a 2 year old here and it didn't need to be weighed).  I told Jackson that if he wanted the lollipop, that he would have to wear his hearing aid.  He pointed his finger at that bag of lollipops and I put his hearing aid on and opened up the dum dums and we were two happy campers!  I think we walked around for 30 minutes while he sucked on that pop.  I sang the "Lollipop,Lollipop" song to him while he had his BCHA on and he would just laugh and laugh and laugh!  I did manage to get a few pictures of him in Walmart!  Which will be a great reminder to NOT give him the BLUE dum-dum pops!

We'll see what tomorrow holds.  My mom will be with him all day.  We'll see how many jelly beans are left when I get home!

Jackson's Even Bigger Day

Tomorrow will be an even bigger day for Jackson.  After school, the big kids and I will go pick him up and take him to get his new Bone Conduction Aid.  I received a phone call today from Kathy that Jackson's BCHA (Bone Conduction Hearing Aid) had come in!  I was so suprised!!  We weren't expecting anything until next week.  After meeting with Kathy on Monday, we decided to go ahead and purchase a less expensive BCHA while we wait for the dictation and referral to come back from Dr. Antonelli at Shands.  (As of today, Dr. Ahmed's office-our pediatrician-has not received it.)  This will allow Jackson to have hearing after 2 1/2 years!  We are praying that because Jackson's microtia/atresia is a congenital defect that insurance will cover a Softband Baha.  If they don't then we will go from there.  The hearing aid that was purchased was made by Oticon.  I do not know yet which one it is, but will be sure to find out when we go.  Kurt and I have received many tips from fellow parents of children with microtia/atresia on how to adapt various headbands (sweatbands, cloth headbands, etc) to fit and hold an BCHA.  We will be working on that this weekend. 

Please pray that Jackson will adjust to the new sounds he will be hearing for the first time!  Please pray that he will have a desire to wear his new headband and aid.  Please pray that our voices are comforting to him!

Sydney will be getting a crash course in using the video camera tomorrow.  I want to at least have something on video of Jackson hearing my voice for the first time!  I can't wait for him to hear the words, "I love you!"

Thank you for lifting our sweet little man up in prayer!  Thank you for continuing to follow our journey!

Easter Sunday

What a beautiful day it was here on Easter Sunday.  Jadon was the first to get up and find the Easter baskets and even snuck a bite off the "hiney" of his chocolate animal.  (I found a cute 3 pack of miniature chocolates...1 owl, 1 porcupine and 1 squirrel)  Next up was Sydney and then Jackson.  After the others took a quick peek at their baskets, we hurried and got our Easter Sunday Best on...and LO AND BEHOLD!!!!  we were ON TIME for church!!!!
After church we headed to Cracker Barrel for lunch.  We decided not to cook this year and to just relax because everyone on my side of the family was going in all different directions.  Sydney and Jadon were great sports to agree to wait until after Jackson's nap to begin the egg hunt.  It was a grand time!!!
I'm thankful that with every passing day, Jackson will learn more and more about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Jadon (6 years old), Sydney ( 8 years old), Jackson (2 1/2 years old)

Stacy and Jackson

Jackson waiting ever-so-patiently

Jackson and Kurt

The Three Musketeers

Jackson and his 1st Easter Basket

Jackson kissing his Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Egg

Jackson decided to dump out the Easter grass and make a new hat for himself...

and for me!!!

Let the games begin!!!

Such a serious Easter Egg Hunter!

Now he's got the hang of it!

OR NOT!

Taken a break!

Could he be ANY cuter???

Spring Clean-Up

We spent most of this afternoon cleaning up the lawn.  We have had a hard winter here in FL thanks to Global Warming.  Jackson had a blast helping us.  He really is a great little helper.  He LOVES to help us, no matter what it is we are needing to do.  It is really sweet to watch him.  Suprisingly, he knew exactly what to do when scooping up the dead leaves and grass to put them in the bags.  Then he just started laying in it all!!  He will have a great time in the fall leaves at Grandma's & Grandpa's if we ever make it back to Michigan in the fall!  The kicker was when he started stuffing it all down his shirt!!!!

Yesterday~2 Months

Yesterday marked the 2 month anniversary of the day Jackson was placed in our arms.

Our lives and family have been blessed by this sweet, charming, and silly little boy!

Monday morning we go to our local audiologist, Kathy~the audiologist that I used to work with when I taught in the hearing impaired program~ to be fitted with his amplification.  We are not sure what we will end up with, so I will be sure to post about that.  I was planning on taking pictures of our trip to Shands, but forgot!!!  I will try my best to get pictures of Jackson with Kathy, our audiologist!

Easter Bunny Picture 2010

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words!