Well, scratch all that because she hates her new ear now. (I need to give the 'lil fella a name...)
She's still ridiculously cute, but oh...do the tears come when she sees that processor headed her way. I've tried multiple ways of introducing it, let her play with it, we've put it on her stuffed animals and dolls, played with the koala that came from Cochlear America who has toy CI's on his head, me and the boys have put on the toy ones so she can see it won't kill us, laid it next to her so she can see it and they can make nice with each other, tried to sneak it on while she takes a bottle, etc. It really doesn't matter how it happens, she's just not a fan. Now don't get me wrong...once it's on her head and we've moved past the 5-10 minutes of hysterics, she's fine. (Except for after nap on Sunday. That meltdown lasted over an hour. But I'm gonna blame that on the super-short-mini-nap that she tried to pull off as a real nap.) It's just the initial shock of going from silence to noise that gets us every time.
Poor, pitiful baby.
This was Saturday morning. After I changed her clothes and tried to put it back on her. Before she realized she was scared of just the sight of the thing. I'm posting this not to make fun of my crying kid, but so I can show her when she grows up how cute and pitiful she was. Please ignore the bed head and pj's.
I promise it's not hurting her. She's not in pain. And it's not too loud. Or she'd probably be taking it back off herself. This is just a HUGE, HUGE transition for her. I can't even wrap my head around what she has to be thinking each time she goes from the perfect silence she's known all her life to the noises of our house. It really is quite an overwhelming thing if you give it any thought at all.
Now on a happy note, we moved up to the 2nd program this morning and it didn't phase her in the least. Like I said, once she's past the initial shock, she's pretty good. As long as you don't mess with it. She doesn't want you touch it either. It is actually staying on her really good. We were all worried about it being so big on her tiny ear and not staying on, but the 'lil guy is hanging in there and I'm not having any trouble with it falling off. Or her taking it off. Which is more than I could say for the hearing aids. You would think with her strong dislike, she'd be flinging the thing across the room, but she toughs it out.
Rock star.
We've been making lots of noises for her, hollering her name way too many times in a day (the boys are really getting in on this and it's not annoying at all), and giving words to all our signs. Every once in a while, we get half a response. Or an eyebrow raise. Or she takes away whatever we are using to make noise. Meaning: please stop it now. I play music a lot during the day when we are home and I'm pretty sure she was rocking out to some praise & worship jams at lunch today, but I couldn't find my phone fast enough to catch her jamming. (Really she probably wasn't. Just my wishful thinking and her being good at picking up a beat.) If you don't like noise, I'd stay away from the general area for a while.
It's all about teaching her how to listen right now. I do a lot of pointing to my ear, signing "listen" and saying "Good listening!!!" in my best sing-songy-preschool-teacher voice. I'm good at it. Just ask me if you see me out. I'll demonstrate.
Now, please remember she's not going to respond to her name. Yet. And she's not going to just start talking to us automatically. And lots of people and noisy rooms are a little terrifying right now. (AKA church on Sunday) And no matter what Charlie says to you, please know she is hearing now, she just doesn't know how to respond yet. He's certain we are lying to him. He totally cornered me and called me out this afternoon. "Mommy, Ellie Kate can't really hear. I know." He's certain in all his 10-year-old wisdom he's always right. About almost everything.
She's also decided in the last week that naps aren't for cool kids and she's not taking one anymore. I'm not sure who told her that naps were optional or if that magnet in her head has messed with the napping cycle thingy in her brain, but I'm not okay with it. Between being sick, surgery and then holiday traveling, her normal routine is all messed up so I'm hoping with fingers crossed that getting back into our normal schedule will make her appreciate a good nap again. Plus, with no nap, by 5pm we are an absolute joy to be around. J.O.Y.
Love her sweet sleep deprived face.
Keep praying we can get over this hump and be friends with our new ear. It's gonna make life quite frustrating if they can't get along. I've been told this is a good sign and we'll get past it, so I'm banking on that. I don't like to make my kid cry multiple times a day, even if I am doing something that I know is for her own good. Makes me want to cry too. And my cry isn't near as cute and pitiful as hers.
Next installment: I'll introduce you to her ear. He's really an amazing fella.
Oh...Roll Tide. Just because I'm feeling a little extra crimson tonight.
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