Bath Time Pics!

It has been a while since I've taken the kids' pictures so I decided to capture a few during their bath. They are SO good to each other and I know it'll come to an end some day when the sibling rivalry sets in but I really hope they stay sweet towards each other!!

Briggs Update...

Last night we met our new slp (speech language pathologist). Beth, our original slp left LPS (Lincoln Public Schools) at the end of the school year. She is now working with an independent office and we are still using her. LPS offers "free" services and we now pay for Beth. :) So, Beth is going to our daycare every Monday for a teaching visit and to our house every Wednesday for a visit. We will also have weekly visits with our new slp and deaf educator through LPS. Our new slp is Carol and we love her too! Mandy, our current deaf educator will be teaching the hearing impaired pre-school class full time this fall (morning and afternoon session) which means we'll also be losing her (but she'll be Elli's teacher so we're not technically losing her). Our new deaf educator will be Faye and I've heard really great things about her. We're excited and fortunate to have all the visits and have such a great team to work with Briggs and us!!

Anyway, the visit yesterday was exciting!! Carol was observing and just catching up on Briggs since she had never met him. She was amazed at how well he's doing only being activated 2 1/2 months. Briggs is ALWAYS turning to his name and to sounds. He fully understands no and when he's doing something he shouldn't. He's constantly responding to all the 6 ling sounds. Briggs is waving hi and bye with the verbal cue (not seeing the action first). You ask him where his ball is and he goes right over and picks it up (without us pointing at it). He picks up his cars/trucks and makes a vroom or raspberry sound as he's driving it across the floor. When asked if wants more (snack) he'll turn the person with the food and vocalize for more. He's giving approximations of about 6 different words. He's understanding SO MUCH, SO SOON!!! Miracle!!

Elli will be starting swimming lessons in a couple weeks. We tried last year and she did okay but was still a little to shy. We're waiting for warmer weather so we can go to the pool. She's busy playing outside and the summer is already going by so fast!

Briggs Responding Video

This video was 4 weeks ago - May 6th (5 weeks post activation w/ just his right ear). It's the first I've caught video of him responding to sound. The first couple times he turns to sound I'm doing a raspberry sound and then I tap my leg and he responds. Now, 4 weeks later he has both ears activated and he is ALWAYS responding to sound. Anytime you say his name he turns around. It's amazing for me to watch this video and see how much more he is doing now just 4 weeks later.

Check-ups for the kids

Elli and Briggs had their 4 yr. and 1 yr. check-ups this past Friday. Everything was great for both of them.

Elli : 29lbs. 4ozs. and 3 1/2 ft. tall. She is in the 10th percentile for weight (this is highest she's ever been!) and the 25th percentile for height. She's a very petite little girl.

Briggs : 22lbs. 9ozs. and 30 1/2 inches long. He is in the 50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for length.

Both kids each got 4 shots (yes eight total) and Briggs also got his finger poked to check for lead. Elli was very brave until the nurse came in with the tray. She took one look and started bawling. Poor thing... I'm glad we did all 4 because now she will have no more shots until she's 12!! Briggs didn't cry at all with the finger poke but did with the 4 shots. He fell asleep at 6:30 and slept all night!