The Bathtime Blues

To a parent who knows,

One of our biggest struggles. Bathtime. I have chosen to have Savanah bathe in the mornings to make it a little less stressful at night. Gracie knows she takes her bath in the evening and Savanah knows she takes her bath in the morning. BUT this is when all the fun begins. . . the implant comes off and Savanah enters into "her world."

Now she use to be a big splasher! Water would be everywhere. She got talked to many times after her bath, when her implant was back on, that water splashing is unacceptable.

The struggle now is learning to take a bath by herself. Start her bath, wash her hair and her body and rinse thoroughly. She has taken thousands of baths. But now starting Kindergarten, I am expecting a little more independance from her. I would like her to be able to bathe herself, drain the water herself, dry herself off and dress herself.

Is my expectation too high for my five-year old who cannot hear during bathtime?
Sincerely,
Savanah's mom

Really?!?

Well isn't it nice that Utah School's for the Deaf will not be starting alongside Alpine School District this year! The new building next to Orem Elementary is not even completed yet! They tore the old one down right after school ended in May and can't even finish it in time for the kid's to start back at school on time. So Savanah will be in Orem Elementary in the morning in her mainstreamed classroom starting next Thursday and then come home because USD can't get on top of things. But what is even better is the fact that I found this out last Friday, when I showed up at Scera Park offices in person to drop off a few papers!

22 DAYS till this. . .

I'll miss you Savanah, my little Kindergartner. But now it's time to shop! Image, courtesy of GAP.

"I can hear the fireworks!"

It can be such a simple activity like lighting off fireworks to really capture what a blessing this cochlear implant has been. Never have I felt like we made the wrong decision, but it is moments like on the 4th of July, when all the sounds and noises of the holiday are going on and Savanah is experiencing these events as a "hearing" child. Some sounds are totally new for her, even if she has heard them before, she is hearing them on a new map, or her implant has been fine tuned since the last time, so each time her face lights up - this sound is new and fresh for her. This year the fireworks were amazing for her. She did not take her magnet off, she just took it all in, with the biggest smile!

How does your garden grow?

So as a GREAT activity this year for Savanah and I do while Gracie takes naps, was to plant a garden and care for our little garden. (Grandma Hill and Grandpa Hil also helped tremendously because their daughter does not have a green thumb) anywho. . . Savanah decided she wanted to plant pumpkins and carrots, and then I wanted zuchinni, squash and tomatoes and Daddy wanted peppers, peas and rhubarb!

So in a nutshell - we have this garden, our first time garden and WE ARE ACTUALLY growing stuff! It is so amazing and fun to watch! We have have tomatoes already they are green but give them a few weeks and Daddy ate the first bell pepper two days ago and Savanah and Gracen have become a fan of raw rhubarb.

It has been a great language opportunity for Savanah. It has definitely expanded her vocabularly with the different plants, weeding, watering, bugs, sun, lots of water, cleaning off the veggies, waiting until they are ripe etc.

If you have never planted a garden but would love to do so and are nervous because all of your houseplants you have killed off - DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED! Gardens are such a miraculous thing, they pretty much grow themselves.

There is something frustrating. . .

About swimming with a deaf child. I am more anxious and nervous. When Savanah has her cochlear implant off, she goes into an entirely different world. It becomes "Savnah's world" and only she can "hear" in it and "talk" in it. It is so interesting to watch, I become fascinated by this everytime we swim. She talks louder and jumps all over the place.

You can tell her to "don't run, only walk" or "don't splash those people" or "it's time to go home and we can swim tomorrow" - BUT Savanah does not hear any of that. Whatever she lip-reads is what she will take in if she wants to. She is more stubborn while swimming and being in her "world." Sometimes I think she prefers this world. It is so peaceful in her head. So quiet. And she can "hear" EXACTLY what she wants to hear.

Me on the other hand, I have become so use to this AMAZING device in her head. This device that is allowing my beautiful five year old daughter to hear everyday. This device that when it is on she gets to experience "our world" - the world of hearing. I cherish moments when she has it on. The simplest sounds that she can hear and she lets me know it. I am so at peace when it is on.

"What do you want to be when you grow up Savanah?"

Yesterday I asked Savanah what she wants to be when she grows up. She gave me a litle confused look and then I started listing off several different careers, a doctor, nurse, policeman, firefighter, artist, teaceher etc. and her response was: "NO MOM! I want to just be a mommy so I can watch TV all day." - I just had to laugh and so do all the other stay-at-home mom's out there right?!?

It is so hillarious that in the eyes of my five year old, that when she is at school all day, she thinks I just sit and watch TV. A magician must go grocery shoppng, wash her clothes, clean the house, run errands and cook for her! Some magician!