It's Too Loud Mom!

Elijah and I went to meet a friend of mine at an American Sign Language chat she sponsors at a local coffee shop. She is an ASL teacher in a city about 30 minuntes from us. I enjoy going to see her and sometimes there are several deaf people there(she advertises with the coffee house about the chat) and of course she has students who come.

Last night there were only three students who showed up, but we sat around and talked. Elijah played with dominoes that they had and then pulled out a board game. We played with him while we chatted. They also have live music and when the music started he told me it was TOO loud. I reached over and just slid off each coil! He looked at me and smiled and then kept on playing. We communicated with sign and with everyone knowing sign it was easy. He didn't sign back to us though. I don't think he quite understood that WE still had the loud music to contend with. We all were signing at this point, because it was easier to communicate that way.

The music stopped for a bit and I slid his coils back on. We talked, but as soon as the music started back up he slipped them back off. He looked at me to be sure it was OK and I gave him a thumbs up!

Now I did enjoy the music and at least with sign we were all able to communicate. The students liked it because it really made them practice their skills, because even if we did voice no one could not each other. The music was actually really good, and I enjoyed it. However, I envy Elijah a bit that he can "turn off" his hearing if he really choses in situations like that!

He Looks so Grown Up!

I don't know when it happened, but sometime in the last six months or so, Jacob has grown up on me. He is now 5 ft 7 inches tall(two inches taller than me) and looking more and more like a young man, than a boy.

He has decided to be part of the honor guard in ROTC, which means he marches with the flag bearers carrying a gun. Today I went to pick him up and he had texted he was ready. We waited and waited, and no Jacob. I tried calling him to no answer, so Elijah and I went in.

I looked down the hallway through a window in the door, and said to myself.."there he is." I then second guessed myself and though, "NO that is not him, that boy looks too old to be Jacob. He looks so serious standing at attention." As I stepped through the door, I realized it WAS Jacob. He was standing at attentino with a rifle(not real) in one hand by his side. He stayed at attention and although he did look in my direction.

Elijah and I walked out, he knew I was there and waiting and he didn't need mom hovering. As I stepped out, I realized wondered..."where did that baby boy of mine go?" Well, he was standing right there, still my baby, just not looking like a baby anymore. I think the next four years are going to fly by so I better enjoy them while I can and remember every bit of it.

Jacob's First Job!

Jacob started his first job this past week. He attended referee school back over the summer and we got his uniform ordered. He was sick and so we had to cancel his first two games, but this past Thursday he worked his first two games.

He did a great job and once the first half of the first game was done, he was more sure of himself. I stayed for hist first two games, just to see how he did and offered advice if he needed it. He actually listened to me when I did give advice. He is refereeing U5 and U6 kids which means four and five year olds. He does a really good job with them and looks like such a BIG KID out there among these young players. He is respectful to the coaches and players and has learned how to blow his whistle so the players will hear him.

He had three games today and I just dropped him off and he did it all himself today. He called me when he was ready to be picked up and told me some funny stories. He also said one of the coaches had refereed before and offered him some tips. He showed off his $30(six five dollar bills, he earned $20 on Thursday).

He has two games this next Tuesday and four more games scheduled in the coming weeks. I hope he gets some more games! I am proud of him and amazed at how much OLDER he looks these days. He is just growing up too fast!

Enjoying the Weather and my Sunday!

The boys and I are just hanging at home today with the windows open. It is actually a little chilly and so we only have three windows open. The cats are so funny, because as soon as they hear me open a window all three just come running. I mean they run full force and jump onto the window sill. I'll then move to Elijah's room and pull open the blinds and here they come. I can hear their paws pounding on the carpet as I open the window.

Later, when I start closing up the windows they run to the window with this pleading look of, "NO, don't close the window!" and then they run for the next onelike they can stop me!

I have cleaned house some today and watched a movie. Just enjoying not doing much of anything. I asked Jacob if he wanted to take a ride to the mall down the street, Firewheel, but he said NO! No good movies out and really not much else to do but enjoy being home with not much to do!

The rest of the week will be crazy. Tomorrow night, Jacob will march in the Homecoming Parade with the ROTC. On Thursday, I'll meet with Elijah's teacher to see how he is doing, then rush home to get Jacob and get him to his soccer game by 6:00 so he can referee. Tuesday and Wednesday are crazy too!! I guess that means I should enjoy not having much to do today!

Update!

Things are going well as we go into October. Jacob is enjoying ROTC and passed his classes for his six weeks. Elijah is doing pretty well in school. I have a conference with his teacher next week to get a true feeling of how he is doing. I just looked over and see him chewing on a sock. YUCK. This is one of his tics...chewing.

Jacob's soccer games got rained out last week and he isn't scheduled for another game until the 23rd. Hope a few more come up before then. He worked hard to get his certification!

Work is going well. I am staying very busy and doing a lot of driving. I got to do the cha cha with some elementary school kids today and it was FUN!

Expectations!

Since the day we found out Elijah was deaf, I have set very high expectations for him. There was so much for him to overcome...premature birth, coming home on oxygen, deafness, pnemonia, slow in development and later tourette syndrome.

After Elijah was implanted, I worked so hard for him to reach his full potential. It has taken years for him to get where he is now and we have had many road blocks. We have busted through those road blocks and I am so proud of where Elijah is now....and proud of Jacob as well.

I get very frustrated with people who don't set high expectations for their children and make excuses why their child can't do something. Even children with no disabilities may have parents who make excuses for them. What frustrates me even more are professionals who don't set those high expectations(not speaking of anyone working with Elijah), but just professionals in general. I have run across a few in my 20 years of education!

I marvel daily at the language Elijah uses. The sentencs he comes up with and even if they aren't perfect, we fix them and move on!

One more thing I want to brag on....Jacob was nominated by one of his teachers to be part of Rachel's Challenge at his high school. Rachel was the first student shot in the Columbine shooting. This challenge is to work with students to stop bullying in school. I need to do more research on it. Jacob is still that typical boy who doesn't always do his homework, but he is becoming a fine young man!

Elijah's Hearing

It has been nine years since Elijah got his first cochlear implant and I am still amazed at the technology. He got his second cochlear implant about six years ago. He only had 18 months of his life without at least one cochlear implant.

What amazes me is how well he does with them! He can hear a whisper across a room. Last night, he was on the computer with his back to the TV. He was very focused on his computer game, but I noticed him sort of dancing to the music from the TV commercial. He was just a grinning and turned around to see what was on the TV. He is able to HEAR background sounds and react to them. He can pull that background sound OUT of the sound he is focused on. Some may not get how COOL that is, but it is cool.

I have also noticed that he has the ability to over hear conversations. He can be focused on something and then hear part of a conversation. He will then say something like, "what are you talking about" or just join the conversation. He hears very well in the car with background noise. He is also to the point where he incidentally learning new vocabulary as well as idioms.

As a teacher of the deaf, I know how far Elijah has come. I work daily with students who are on this same journey. Some are ahead of Elijah and others behind, but they are on their own personal journey. All of the hard work I put forth so many years ago has paid off. There is still much work to be done and there always will be, but it is so much easier now.

I am amazed that I can still be amazed. You would think that the thrill of his hearing would wear off with the passage of time, but it hasn't. I still marvel at it daily!