Goodbye, 2011!

In the blink of an eye, this year has come and gone. I feel like time has sprinted by, but when I reflect on everything that has happened, it is hard to fathom how we crammed it all in. At this time last year, Sophie was recovering from her CI surgery and we were anticipating activation day. It had been quite an emotional year for us - departing from our “normal”, learning how to embrace our challenges, and preparing for the road ahead.  I was incredibly hopeful for what 2011 would mean for Sophie and our family and I can happily say that I was not let down. What an amazing year.

If I had to sum up 2011 with a single word, it would have to be EXCITING.  The year started with a bang when Sophie’s CIs were activated and she heard sound for the first time. That day started a new chapter of our lives, one that we had envisioned for a long time and have been living out ever since. I feel so privileged to be the mother of such a special child and get to experience the milestones and memories that accompany this journey -  

The exhilarating rush that came over me when I watched Sophie turn to her name for the first time. Tears stinging my eyes while watching her dance and twirl to music.  Holding my breath as she uttered her first words, and the shrieks of excitement and hugs that followed. These are just a few of my favorite moments from this past year.

I’m feeling very confident about the joys that 2012 will bring and I’m happier than ever with where we are at. I finally feel like WE CAN DO THIS, even though we have been doing it for a while. We have definitely caught our breath and are finding our new “normal”.  And as time goes by, I am increasingly confident that the uncertainty about the future will fade away, as it is already starting to do. I can only hope that 2012 will hold as many exciting moments and memories as we have been lucky to experience this year. Goodbye, 2011 – I can’t wait to see what 2012 has in store for us!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Wishing you...

a very Merry Christmas!



"Sophie have it!"

I shot this video last night and had to take a minute to share. Although there is some nose-picking in the beginning and Sophie is far from grammatically correct, it is pretty cute!

Think we need to work on sharing??? :)

A day to recharge

Days like this are few and far between, but sooooo worth it! Most of today was spent in our jammies, lounging around, and enjoying this exciting time of year. We did not focus on speech therapy, cleaning, laundry, work, or any other part of regular daily life. Today, our focus was on COOKIES! ;)

 

I wish our schedule allowed for more of these lazy days and I can only hope that these are the times Sophie remembers most as she grows older - I know I will. 

Worth it

Is it... hard? Yes.
Frustrating? Almost daily.
Scary? You betcha.
Uncertain? Absolutely.

Rewarding? In an incredible way that cannot be described with words.

Last night, Sophie and I were making a sandwich when she spontaneously said, "Eh musserd is ellow, Mommy!" Even though I knew I was alone, I looked around the room to see if anyone else witnessed her speak that gloriously full sentence with close to perfect pronunciation. Sure enough, it was only me. I just smiled and said, "Yes! Yes! The mustard is yellow!" Then my heart just about exploded.

And now, as I sit here trying to quickly type out my thoughts, my demanding toddler is screaming, "Read eh Elmo book, Mommy!" My cup runneth over.

The challenges that come with raising a deaf child magnify the sweetness of these proud moments.

So, given the opportunity, would I change a single thing?

Not.a.chance.

Oh, the excitement!

I'm not the only one that is crazy about the holidays in our household! I knew this year would be fun because Sophie is getting old enough to enjoy many of the exciting things having to do with Christmas, but she has been Santa-crazed lately. The man in the red suit has definitely taken the place of Elmo and Dora for the time-being.

Her excitement about "Santa's hat" is nothing compared to the real deal of the big guy.  And she pretty much always shrieks like that when referring to him. Car rides home at night now consist of Sophie SCREAMING about all the lights and inflatable Santas and snowmen. Not only do I secretly love listening to the screaming, but it also gives me a break from singing the Wheels on the Bus over and over again. Win-win. ;) 

Such an exciting time of year!