Sophie is just about 20 months old now. My how time flies. She's turning into quite a feisty kid. Here's a clip of her eating ice cream:
Sophie Eating Ice Cream
Lots of folks are encouraging us to stop signing to get Sophie to speak more. Signing, aside from the cultural value, has been really beneficial in allowing us to know what Sophie can hear. In the video above I'm not signing and she's probably not reading lips. She answers my questions perfectly in sign and once by speaking. Without the signing, I'd have to guess what she can understand all the time. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't get the credit she's due as we can hardly believe her progress even with the signing as proof. It seems crazy to take away any means of communication as we enter the terrible 2s so we re staying the course.
This Thanksgiving we are adding to the list our thanks for the wonders of cochlear implant technology and the phenomenal support network we have found this last year. Sophie is light years beyond all of our expectations. We talk to her like a hearing kid and she responds like a hearing kid. She also signs like a champ with a huge vocabulary, grammar, and expression!
We are amazed at how normal life seems these days. There's still a long road ahead but we are rolling along at a wonderful pace, with wonder and optimism, and with in the company of some really lovely people. Not too shabby. Such a difference from the uncertain/stressful place we were in last year!
Sometimes modern miracles comes in the form of microchips and computer software, surgeons, audiologists, speech therapists, family and friends. We are thankful for all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!
Lots of folks are encouraging us to stop signing to get Sophie to speak more. Signing, aside from the cultural value, has been really beneficial in allowing us to know what Sophie can hear. In the video above I'm not signing and she's probably not reading lips. She answers my questions perfectly in sign and once by speaking. Without the signing, I'd have to guess what she can understand all the time. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't get the credit she's due as we can hardly believe her progress even with the signing as proof. It seems crazy to take away any means of communication as we enter the terrible 2s so we re staying the course.
This Thanksgiving we are adding to the list our thanks for the wonders of cochlear implant technology and the phenomenal support network we have found this last year. Sophie is light years beyond all of our expectations. We talk to her like a hearing kid and she responds like a hearing kid. She also signs like a champ with a huge vocabulary, grammar, and expression!
We are amazed at how normal life seems these days. There's still a long road ahead but we are rolling along at a wonderful pace, with wonder and optimism, and with in the company of some really lovely people. Not too shabby. Such a difference from the uncertain/stressful place we were in last year!
Sometimes modern miracles comes in the form of microchips and computer software, surgeons, audiologists, speech therapists, family and friends. We are thankful for all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!