Pictures.....

Picture #1~ Can you see the tiny top of the head?

Picture #2~Can you see Thomas in the corner?

Picture #3~ Thomas playing basketball...HIS way!!! Thanks to Daddy (Mommy didnt agree with it...but it did make a cute picture)

Picture #4~ Thomas sliding down the slide...WITH CI on. Thank goodness no static..everything stayed intact.

Picture#5~ Jonathan and Thomas just having fun!







I hope everyone is having a safe and Happy New Year's Eve. As for our family, we are keeping it close to home. In fact...we are at home! Thomas was asleep by 7pm and Jonathan told me he would like to stay up for the New Year....I told him that was fine with me, we'll see if he lasts till midnite! I am pretty sure that both Jim and I will be fast asleep!!! I will have to tell him to wake me up so we can ring in the new year together!
I hope the New Year brings Health, Wealth and Fun to EVERYONE!!!

Jonathan's Christmas Wish...

I forgot to add that Jonathan's Christmas wish did not come true...Thomas can not hear without his CI. (we kind of knew that it wasnt going to happen...lol) but Thomas is doing very well with his CI and Jonathan's 2nd wish did come true...he is now the proud papa of 6 webkins!!!
Now, off to watch football! Here's hoping the Colts WIN!!!

Christmas and updates...

I am home by myself for a little bit so I thought I would hop online to update the blog. We all had a wonderful Christmas...it was sad to see my Mom depressed but she did keep a smile on for most of the day. It was different without Jerry there but I know he was "there"...just not physically!
Thomas and Jonathan got spoiled, as usual. What they didnt receive from Santa they got from my Mom or Aunt Shelley (Jim's sister). Aunt Shelley has been in town since Christmas Day and Jonathan has seen her every day since she came in. Having her here for an extended amount of time makes me sad to see her go back down to SC. She really is a great person and friend...we will DEFINITLY be making a trip or two down to visit!!! Not to mention she spoils the crud out of the boys. Build a Bear, mini golf, movies, swings n things, dave n busters...not to mention the LOVE she has for them!!! She told me she is amazed at how well Thomas is doing. She was living up in Ohio while Jonathan was growing up but she doesnt get to see Thomas hit milestones like she did for Jonathan. He definitly is a handful but I wouldnt have it any other way.
We went to swing n things yesterday and I was a bit nervous about the tube extravaganza they had there. It was kind of high and of course, full of static. There was no way I could crawl up there for him (that would be quite a site..me getting stuck in one of those tubes crawling after Thomas)so I dared to let him go up with Jonathan. He did keep his CI on while crawling but I yelled up to Jonathan to let pull the magnet off while he slid down. Moving around with Thomas REALLY slows you down and that wasnt fair to Jonathan so Thomas, for the most part, stayed low with me while Jonathan crawled through the tubes like a little hamster. Thomas ran around from 130pm- almost 7pm...STRAIGHT!!! That kid has more energy than a few of us combined. Did I mention he did NOT have a nap? We came home, he ate, took a bath, played a bit than hit the bed..HARD!
Everything was going well until a little girl came up to him (she was about 3yrs old) and was petting his hand for a few seconds than went in and took a bit at his arm. I dont know what it is with my children and getting bit inside play places (it happened to Jonathan when he was about 4yrs old..down in a Play Place at Mcdonalds in SC). Her mother quickly apologized and took her child out of the area. She did come back and Thomas would not go near her..I dont blame him! The noise didnt seem to bother him too much. Even with all the games going on and people talking he could still hear us and, for the most part, listened to what we had to say.
Aunt Shelley is leaving tomorrow...I know I am sad, I can only imagine how sad Jonathan and Jim will be. Even Thomas grew very close to her in this short amount of time. Hopefully, by the time we go down to visit (maybe around Easter) Thomas will have his 2nd CI.
We went for a mapping on the 13th and spoke with our audi. about getting the 2nd one and she seemed excited and told me to definitly mention it to Thomas' surgeon..that he would want to get it done soon. We went in for a check up with Dr. M on the 18th and I mentioned a 2nd CI and he said he would like to see it get done within a few years. I was very shocked by his answer...I am thinking (especially after speaking with our therapist) that Dr. M was having an off day because at every app. in the past he had always said that he would like to get the 2nd CI done as soon as 6mths after the 1st one. We have an app. for another plain old hearing test for January 24th than we go back to see Dr. M on the 29th. We are getting the ball rolling for bilaterals!!!
In the next few days I am going to post a few new pictures ( I have a new camera and I havent opened any of the software for it yet) from Christmas and yesterday at s-n-t. We got tired of "helping" Thomas put the basketball directly into the basket...so Jim put Thomas inside the big shoe so he could get the balls himself and make baskets.
I hope every one had a very Merry Christmas and may every one have a safe and happy New Year!!!!

Proud Mommy Moment

WHAT'S THE 1 THING YOU WANT THE MOST FOR CHRISTMAS????

That is what I asked Jonathan today as we were sitting at my Mom's watching a Christmas movie. He looked over at me and gave me one of his smirky smiles and I already knew...webkinz...he could never have enough of them. I am not sure what he loves so much about them but he tells me over and over again that he can never have too many (he only has 2 now).
I tell him I know that is something he really likes but that for Christmas I wanted to know what 1 thing he wants more than anything. He sat in his chair for a few minutes, I thought he was ignoring me and just watching tv. WRONG!

Jonathan: Mom, I know what 1 thing I want for Christmas

Me: What is that Jonathan?

Jonathan: I want Thomas to be able to hear without his implant

Me:(with tears welling up in my eyes) Really, Jonathan? You want that more than presents for yourself under the tree?

Jonathan: Yep, Mom! I want Thomas to be able to hear just like me...without all that stuff.

I held back my tears and told him that is one thing that I would love as well. I also told him how proud I was of him for being so unselfish and loving to his brother. We than talked a bit about how "cool" it was that even though Thomas is deaf, he can hear us with his implant. We are thankful for that....FOR SURE!!!
I just had to share that with all my friends and family who follow us on this journey. With all the kids I see everyday asking for this and that and demanding other things it makes me so proud to be Jonathan's Mom! Don't get me wrong...we are not perfect over here! lol There have been times Jonathan has been ticked off because he had wanted something and I didnt buy it....or he thought he would/should get something in return for doing something nice for someone.
I am so proud of the little man he is becoming...what a great role model he is for Thomas.

Decision Time

Thomas' next appointment with his CI dr. is next Tuesday (18th). Although we are not "pressed" to make a decision about a 2nd CI Dr. M. had asked us at our last visit what we wanted, we didnt know yet...so he said that we have a few months to decide and that at our next app. (18th) he would like to know.
I have been pondering the pros and cons for awhile now. Asking hubby is no help either...deep down I know he doesnt want it (save the ear for future technology, cosmetic reasons, etc) so the decision (as he had told me) is pretty much up to me. Yippy!!! lol
Yesterday I was getting our spare CI ready for our mapping app. today. I happened upon Thomas hearing aids...which he hadnt worn since after his CI was activated (he wouldnt leave it in his ear). So I called him over to me and I showed it to him and I told him I was going to put it in his ear. I maneuvered the ear mold into his ear and clicked the back door shut and I said "Hello Thomas". He looked at me...smiled, started laughing and pointing to his left ear. I than said "Can you hear me, Thomas?" and he kept smiling and pointing to his ear. He definitly wants to hear from his left ear...I can not possibly keep that from him. All my concerns and worries were put to the side when I seen his face light up and all the smiles and giggling.
Of course, it didnt go perfectly. He didnt like the hearing aid in/on his ear. He would pull the back of it so it wasnt hanging behind his ear. Than he would pull the whole thing off. Than he would immediately walk over to me, hand me the aid and point to his ear. We did this over and over again until it was finally bedtime. When he wakes up today I will try again with the hearing aid to see if he wants it back in. If so, we will try again with putting it on his ear and hoping he gets used to it. If not, than our little adventure yesterday certainly opened my eyes for me....I can not possibly keep Thomas from getting a 2nd CI. So at our app. on the
18th I will let Dr. M know that the decision has been made and we can start the process for 2nd CI approval!!!!