A month from today we will celebrate her hearing day half birthday. I've been told you celebrate your birthday and your hearing day..for most of us they are the same, perhaps even early since babies can hear in the womb:) Lillian's hearing day was September 7, 2012. Such a happy day.
I'm currently taking a sign language course through the city and next week a special course is being offered for family's with deaf and hard of hearing children followed by a support group. Just the topics of each class release a flood of question and thoughts about how little I know and understand this journey we are on. It feels good to be able to do something.
Every so often I find myself thinking why did we not catch this earlier, no good can come from going down that path I know- but I still do sometimes. We began to question Lillian's hearing last spring, but being pregnant I pushed it back. My doctor said we test all children at three, I thought she's fine, she can hear planes... Opps ha That's all she can hear out of her left hear, she can hear half of spoken language out of her right ear so that's why she could repeat some words while sitting on our lap.
Good news is that she can hear all spoken language with her hearing aids, and is catching up. I think what if she had her aids since infancy? How different would that have made her? Or us? I totally would have treated her different, so I'm in a way glad things worked out they way they did. She has her personality and its adorable. She sweet and slightly spoiled but just enough as a princess with two brothers should be. She is active and so thoughtful. Everything she knew up until she got her aids was learned by observation, that just amazes me. How well she could read our faces and figure things out. I still have to hide the swimsuits if we are going swimming or she wants to change into them immediately. I wear a dress she want to also. My favorite how Lillian tries to comfort those around her. I say try because her pulling Jackson onto her lap when he is sad doesn't do much but thats how her mommy makes him happy so its gotta work. Yet if she does it while he's happy he loves it.
She's learned the words and concept share, gentle, help, happy, grumpy, cry and play. Lillian loves school and they love her back. Mrs. S calls her cupcake and says she reminds her of her son who is deaf so much. Ms.W knows all about teaching listening and communicating. Mrs. C her speech teacher has been working with her since August and believes in her. I feel so blessed to have Lillian go to a school with professionals who love her so.
In January my wonderful sister in law and her family came to visit. They lended a much needed helping hand, but also had me see how crazy life is for us at the moment. Bums to wipe, mouths to feed, fights to break up, messes to make and clean up, piles of laundry wash put way dirty again, toys played with and left out, bumps and bruises, band aids, homework, drop off pick ups, park day, play dates, dr appt, hugs and kiss, snuggles, baths books read, song prayer and bed.
I've never been busier and yet I've never felt this much happiness and joy. I feel a peace, I know how fast babies grow up, I realize they do at some point sleep through the night and blow their own noses. I know that the peace I feel is from my Father in Heaven. I am grateful for his keeping Lillian (and us all) safe from harm. To the little things that mean so much to me, do you know that half of my friends have take sign language at some point? Two of my college roommates studied to become speech pathologist? The sweet helper at the YMCA childcare's brother is deaf and she loves to help Lillian and teach us new signs. Do you know that my aunt's grandfather invented hearing aids? How wonderful. All these things testify that God know, loves, and is very much an active part of our lives. I am grateful that I know and can see this. I am also so grateful to realize that someday Lillian will be able to hear naturally, but until that day she has been in trusted to us to help.
I told my mom the other day as she helped me wrestle everyone into bed that I've never been happier, she looked at me like I was crazy#whichiam#
One thing I am very thankful for is the Mormon channel app :). I can listen to scriptures, conference, church magazines along with lots of other wonderful things as I run around town.
Baby Lillian
we are family, Lillian and her brothers and daddy and me!
Happy almost half a year Lillian, you energy and kindness help me out each day.
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