Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Two Steps Forward ...
I'll start with the most exciting step forward ... Aiden's saying da-da! The funniest part about it all is he'll go from screaming it to whispering it! I love it! Aiden's daddy loves it even more! Aiden is SUCH the daddy's boy, so it surprised me when he actually said mom first (more like maaaam in a poor pitiful voice). He said mom when we were in Wisconsin and when we got home he would look at his daddy and call him mom too! Hilarious! and I loved every minute of it because both of Aiden's siblings said da-da first. Well, since then, we've been working very hard on da-da and a few days ago, out it came and now that's all he says! (I've tried to capture it on video, but of course he stops saying it and just stares at me). When I tell Aiden "Da-da's coming home", he looks at the door or looks out the window for him. Hopefully we haven't lost mom for da-da!

and our second step forward ...
Well, after all of your emails, comments on my post, and phone call to Val from Cochlear Kids, I talked to both of Aiden's therapists about my concerns and I have hope we're all on the same page. After our conversations, it was agreed upon by all that we will:

• All work together and communicate weekly regarding each weeks lesson


• Continue to work on conditioned Ling responses


• Continue to work on WASP sounds (Word Associations for Syllable Perception - a project through The Listening Center at Johns Hopkins that offers an approach of learning to listen and unerstanding the connection between a sound and its meaning ... very similar to the Learning to Listen sounds)


• Add additional activity ideas to reach current goals and have homework to go home with after each session


• Incorporate a "themed" unit for each week or month (or however short/long it needs to be based on Aiden's reception). With this themed unit I discussed how I wanted to incorporate some type of calendar as yet another language tool for Aiden as well as to remind Aiden's dad, brother, and sister what we're working towards. (I was inspired by Ben's mom when I saw this, and was excited to hear Brigg's therapists developed one for their family too! Thanks for sharing Renae! I can't wait to see it!) I figure this way too, we can get books and sing songs all around this particular "theme" (whether it's farm animals, prepositions, firetrucks, a certain routine, a certain sound we're trying to reach ... whatever it may be!)

We all agreed to do a "bubble" theme to start. We'll incorporate a vocabulary list, pictures to hang around the house, books, songs, and activities. I've already found two books I'm going to check out and now I just need to find some songs. Anyone have any good websites with kid's songs/lyrics?

Thank you all for your comments, support, and advice! And for all you out there who said you're looking for ideas too, I'll continue to post on how this works, along with our theme and activities to go along with them. It's all about sharing and getting our babies to hear and speak! I have always voiced my concerns with Aiden's doctors, audiologists, etc. I don't know why I was nervous being upfront (I hate confrontation), but I found that it wasn't confrontation, they were both very open, and it needed to be done ... for my own mind, for our working relationships, but most importantly, for Aiden.

and One Step Back ...
...which I'm about to pull my hair out on! Aiden has reverted to pulling off his coils again, except now, he disects the WHOLE thing. Yep. all the way down to the battery. After searching forever to find two batteries, two coils, and two snug-fits, car rides are going to be silent again. At first he was only doing this in the car, but now he's doing it at home too. I have to keep a constant eye on him. He knows exactly what he's doing too, because he'll look right at me with that sly smile and then fight me when I try to take it from his hand. He's one strong boy.

I'm wondering if his map is off? At his last booth test (in June), they didn't have to make any adjustments to his map and felt he was good to go for six months, which was not good with me, so we agreed on three. Now I'm getting very nervous about even three months and wondering if I should get an appointment just to check. He still has been responsive, has great localization, is on and off with his lings ... Oh I wish he could tell me! I think I'll call tomorrow and schedule that appointment.