Long lost pictures from our trip to California w/ Delaney's soccer team

Overdue Halloween Pictures

We had wonderful weather for Halloween this year. As usual- too much candy was collected by all (I'm still finding candy wrappers all over the house). Hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!

You *Know* It's Been Too Long When You.....

have forgotten the password to your blog. Sad, sad, sad. New happenings: Jake no longer qualifies for an implant. What? What!, you say. Yes, his hearing has now fluctuated up again (not as good as it started, but good enough that he is hearing pretty darn well w/ his trusty hearing aids). Wackiness, but good wackiness.

I have finished my stint of studying English as a second language, and my final thoughts are "wow, are there a lot of similarities between ELLs (that would be English Language Learners ;), and my four children as they've learned to communicate." The struggles are similar in many ways.

What else is new. Well, I'm smack in the middle of 'helping' Delaney wrap up a huge English project on Martha Stewart. I'll have to let you know how "we" do.

Next post, a boat-load of pictures.

Oh yeah- Child #2 has the flu (meaning he's the second of the kids to get it, not that #2 has the flu, because that would be Emily, and so far she is holding out). Wish us luck, I'm so DONE w/ H1N1/Piggy flu.

Today we have a follow-up hearing test....

to determine how much improvement there has been. I think he's vastly improved since Friday (it's a night and day difference). That said, I might still keep the MRI appointment on Friday, so that we have that step done in case his hearing takes a turn in the future. Maybe.

I'll keep you all posted (and get some new pictures up).

The main side effect so far is bright red cheeks from the steroid (and being in hazy sun over the weekend). Not to bad!

Jake is now telling me his hearing is *almost* as good as it was before NH day....

NH (No Hearing) day. I'm a terrible mom and I keep sneaking up behind him to 'check' his hearing. Checking his hearing entails me yelling his name behind his back, seeing if he'll turn around. Right around yell 15, Jake said, "Mom, I can hear you, I just don't want to listen to you yell anymore".....:)

So, I guess we'll know for sure on Tuesday if he is back to where he started. If so, I'd encourage anyone w/ sudden drops in hearing to give steroids a shot (unless they are a health risk for you or your child). For us, it was definitely worth a shot. And, so far, they seem to be working well.

So, maybe, *maybe* implant avoided (for the time-being.)

Steroids might be working???

He is definitely better today, and his left ear (which had the drop last Spring) is significantly better- mainly due to earwax removal yesterday ;) So, he can now hear me when talking in a *very* loud voice, and looking at my face. Yesterday he could not hear me even when yelling at the top of my lungs. Definite improvement.

I guess we won't really know until we visit the ENT again on Tuesday, but cautiously optimistic.

I think I saw this coming last Spring....but still. (Jake's future CI's)

Jake (my almost 'normally hearing' child, woke up complaining that his hearing aids were broken. Not so much- really...just his ears. And, not broken, just in need of some extra sound. After many hours at the ENT/Audiologist, there is no fluid, no "Glue Ear", little negative pressure, but some significant hearing loss.

We're trying steroids....more to come.