To speak or not to speak

As much as I would love to jump off this hamster wheel I think we have a LONG way to go.  Esther was fitted with hearing aids this month and although we knew she would not hear, once they were

placed on her ears, we were still hopeful.  We still find ourselves screaming into them with some sort of hope for a response.  Next week Esther will have an MRI and another hearing test and then we will be able to proceed with the Cochlear Implant.   In the meantime, we are working with Early Childhood Intervention and our local school district to get services set up for Esther – therapy and preschool teachers etc.  We are VERY blessed to be in a district that provides amazing services for Hearing Impaired kids. 

 Oh the controversy of Cochlear Implants.  The options are: only auditory (which means you only speak), only signing and the OPTION WE HAVE chosen is called Total communication – this is where you use both sign and speaking to communicate.  Here is my explanation of our choice (not that I owe you one)!

If Esther had come home hearing and knowing Creole or French our entire family would learn that language and we would foster that language in Esther in order for her to grow up bi-lingual or what if she came to us knowing Spanish? Would we not continue to encourage the learning of that language?  This applies to signing.  If she begins learning to speak and sign at the same time and be bi-lingual that only helps her brain function and gives her more opportunities for her future.

Esther has now been home for almost three months and here are some highlights from this month:

1.      She is fluent in 15-20 signs

2.     She got hearing aids

3.    She took a week long road trip and attended her first Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit and ended the trip in Arkansas meeting all of mommies friends!

4.   She gained a two- year old personality!

5.   She has learned that it is ok NOT to eat every last bite on her plate – there will be more meals to come and she won’t have to go hungry

6.   She transitioned to a big girl bed and sharing a room with her big sister Eden

7.   Parker is her very best friend and she can run over Madi and mommy means no even if your smile is cute, Elmo in Grouchland is her favorite movie.

8.   She can dress herself – including shoes!

9.     “Orphange poop” and breathe are both GONE!!

10.   She  stayed in the church nursery and the nursery at the gym for the first time and LOVES it!

11.  She got to meet her Nana for the first time! 

What comes next……

1.  Potty training

2.  Cochlear implants

3.  LOTS of therapy

4.  Brothers and Sisters home for the summer and time to learn how to share mommy (and toys)!

Adoption is difficult, messy and exhausting but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Thank you to each of you who have supported us through three difficult adoptions and the

journeys that follow with each of them.  You are blessings to our lives!

Tiffany