A week of hearing.

You know that moment in time when you realize your child is a genius ...but you struggle with how to tell others without making them feel like their own children are obviously morons?

Well. I'm there.

You see, Ellie Kate read a book to me on Wednesday.

Honest. I've got video proof.

So you see, all parents of children not as smart as mine, I can only hope that one day your child is to reading with such poise and diligence and inflection in their voices.  Because I was pretty stinkin' impressed!

Yeah, I'm talking about the child that just choked while drinking her own nasty bath water.

Nonetheless, today is our one week hear-a-versary. Yaaaaaay! And she has been much more vocal this week than she has in the past. She literally ran her mouth the whole time we were at the surgeons office for her post-op visit on Wednesday.  I love it.

The visit went great, by the way. He had no concerns, her incision at that point looked like little more than a scratch with a little bit of scabbing.

And a heck of a bald spot.

This was last Saturday night after the steri-strips FINALLY came off (less than 2 weeks out).
I was shocked at how well it looked!!

See the upper curve above her ear?
Amazing.  What's inside that head is making her hear.

We'll follow up again in April with Dr. Gadre.

Her screaming fits when we put the processor on, who has been lovingly dubbed "Bear" (But Sam's the only one that calls it that..."Mommy, Bear is still on Ellie Kate's ear."  He reports to me.  I like it.) have diminished....ever so slightly.

I'm a routine kinda person.  So, of course, I have a routine for this.  I try to make sure the processor is on her head before we leave her room in the morning and after nap.  One, because we obviously want her hearing all of her waking hours.  And two, this way she just knows what to expect.  She crawls up into my lap crying.  She knows we are going to put it on and knows she isn't gonna like it.  But she willingly lets me do it.  Bless her tiny, hearing heart.

She has also been signing more.  Which I love because it's so stinkin' cute to watch!  She tells me "thank you" after every puff that she eats.  I'm sure that has to get tiring.  And "thank you" when she wants me to do something.  But before I actually do it.  Gotta work on our timing.  Also signing sleep, no and please on a more regular basis.  We have also sorta, kinda learned to wave.  But are always a little delayed on that one.

It's cute either way.

That was a smile.  Promise.