Progress

Ben has been activated (had the sound turned on in his processor) for 18 days.

We noticed a week or so ago he began acting differently. For a few days, he decreased his usually loud vocalizations and stopped banging with his hammer. We thought he might be hearing the sounds he was making for the first time.

Then miracles happened: he dropped to the ground and turned when we slammed the lid to his toy box. Ben's first startle to sound with his 'new ear'!

Today, Ben turned to his name while he was playing. Super exciting!

Birthday Boy!

Ben is one today! It's hard to believe we have known him for only a year. He has taught us more than we could have imagined. We are blessed!

January 2009- Twelve hours old

January 2010! Happy Birthday!

At one year Ben:

Loves to eat bananas and oranges

Weighs 20.5 pounds

Still loves his pacifier

Says "Dadadada" and "dabadaba"

Is loud!

Plays with anything he can pound or throw

Hums himself to sleep almost every night

Hates water on his head

Loves his Daddy

Points and smiles at each person we pass in the store

Screams at the vacuum

Drinks his bathwater

Is ticklish everywhere

Throws his food

Cuddles with Mommy

Fights each diaper change

Climbs the stairs

Walks like Frankenstein

Likes to be outside

Is opinionated and strongwilled

Brushes his own hair

Is not a fan of stuffed animals

Tries to feed people

Always wants the phone and remote

Loves peek-a-boo

Smiles all the time

We can't wait to see what the next year will bring!

Activation

The sound is on!

Dr. Don turned on Ben's sound today. He created four programs for Ben's processor. The first is the quietest and the fourth is the loudest. The audiologists want Ben to slowly get used to sound and not be startled.

In Don's office we tried the first two programs without much of a response. We know, according to Don's computer, sound was going into the electrode.

Once we got home we tried all the programs. We vacuumed, yelled and banged a hammer. Still nothing. The sounds may not be loud enough for Ben to have a big reaction (we don't want that reaction to be tears). Ben needs practice learning what the sound coming in means. We have to teach him how to listen. This is where the Auditory Therapy will come in.

On Friday, Don will turn the sound up once more. Once again we'll have four programs to try out. Maybe then we will have a head turn. I can't wait to stop yelling at my baby.