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Baby

February22nd

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Walk For Talk!

Posted in: Baby, Hearing Loss

If you’re reading this (and I practically guarantee you are,) you may have noticed the big honking link on my right sidebar. You know, the one with Isla sporting the adorably asymmetrical pig-tails. Well, Isla is raising money for her school, Northern Voices, with a little help from her mom & dad.

Northern Voices is an incredible school that teaches deaf and hard-of-hearing how to speak and listen. All of the kids wear listening devices such as cochlear implants just like Isla. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the work they do there is amazing. Isla has been making incredible progress and is making many new sounds and even a few words. She loves her new school and looks forward to going every morning. The staff, honestly, rocks.

Our family is walking a 5K in May to support Isla’s school. If you would like to make a contribution, you can do so by clicking on Isla’s fundraising page. Donations are accepted online starting as low as one dollar.

Thank you in advance for any support you can give, and to learn more about the great work they do at Northern Voices, check out their website at northernvoices.org.

Admit it; you’re also a bit curious to see if I can walk a 5K without stopping for several naps.
January27th

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The Latest

Posted in: Baby

Patty & I attended our first ASL (American Sign Language) course this past week at the Metro Deaf School in St. Paul. Since Isla has been learning a lot of signs, we figure we’d better do something to keep up.

We actually know quite a few signs from earlier attempts, but this class seems more immersive. The fact that the teacher is deaf forces our brains to learn differently. We need to really pay attention to context and facial expressions, since there no is no speech to explain what we’re seeing. Time will tell how effective it is. As far as I’m concerned, this is going to be my second language (well, I know some German, but only enough to get my face slapped in Berlin.)

We’re also starting to see Isla’s nurturing side. She loves to hug and she is really good around the animals. With any luck, she’ll avoid my whole “sitting on the cat” phase. She also loves taking care of her dolls; however, she doesn’t seem to understand that Elmo might not be a fan of lemon juice.

Pictured: Nurturing

Here is the full one-minute video. And yes, it is equally as exciting as the photo above. By the way, Isla doesn’t have her implants on because I was just about to drive her to daycare. She tends to pull her implants off while riding in the car.

In case you were wondering.
January6th

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Shelf Wife

Posted in: Baby

My wife, Patty is the “Professional Crafter” in our house, whereas I need to settle for the title of “Crafty Professional.” She built, painted and installed these bookshelves in Isla’s room. My assistance was minimal since I was busy tracking down the perfect Theremin sound for an upcoming Groundhog Day post.

For a much better post about the shelves themselves (including photos,) check out Patty’s blog. It’s OK, I don’t mind. I figure you probably read other blogs anyway. She’s got a whole bunch of posts about her various projects, most of which involve a hot glue gun, some sparkly ribbon, and a DeWalt DW718 12″ Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw (you know, for the Li’l Princess House.)

I, of course, was a boatload of help.

I think I need a shave

Isla loves the new shelving with easy access to her books, while I wake up in a cold sweat worrying that she is going to climb the hell out of them.

And no, I have no idea why she’s wearing her jacket in a 70 degree house. It’s a thing she has.
January4th

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Happy New Year

Posted in: Baby, Holidays

Patty and rang in the New Year with a couple of movies, a roaring fire and a quiet evening on the couch. Yes, we party pretty hard when Isla is sleeping.

We spent New Years Day at the Como Zoo & Conservatory, where they had their “Noon Years Celebration.” It’s a kid-friendly event where they do a countdown to noon and then have a beach-ball drop. That’s right, they cram a bunch of kids and their families into a confined space, give them noisemakers, then drop a whole bunch of free toys.

She elbowed two kids and a Teamster to get everything in this photo.

Isla always has fun at the Conservatory. She especially enjoyed watching the fish, while wondering how she could take one of THEM home. (Incidentally, never underestimate the speed and tenacity of the fine members of the Conservatory security staff.)

And the “No Diving” rule is strictly enforced.
December20th

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A Video Christmas Card

Posted in: Baby, Holidays, humor, Video

Patty, Isla and I visited Macy’s Santaland Village on Sunday for Isla’s second visit with The Big Guy.

Unfortunately, not him.

As you can see, Isla’s visit with Santa went very well; very well, indeed

At least I was able to get some nice video footage of Isla and Patty enjoying a little stroll through the village, as well as a little detour to Mrs. Claus’ Bakery. Apparently, cookies are an excellent way to alleviate any Post-Kringle Stress Disorder.

I originally wanted to have a Bing Crosby tune for the soundtrack, but apparently, there are these things called “copyright laws.” (I only learned about them a week ago, myself.) Instead, I put together a simple little soundtrack which seems to work out nicely for my “Video Christmas Card.”

Merry Christmas!
December13th

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Showstopper

Posted in: Baby, Holidays

Patty and I attended Isla’s daycare Christmas pageant show thing last night. The show was great and all of the kids did a fantastic job. Isla was adorable, of course; even when she took a nosedive off the front of the stage.

Yeah, I’d probably better explain that, huh? First of all, she’s fine! Right at the beginning of the third song, she took off running. I ran to the stage, but was unfortunately too slow. She tried to steady herself on a music stand and down she went. Luckily, it slowed her fall and she simply slid down. She was uninjured, but obviously shaken up. They even had to start the song over! Five minutes and one Christmas cookie later, she was back to her old self.

That’s my little showstopper.
December7th

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It Works!

Posted in: Baby, Hearing Loss

Today was a very big day for our girl. One month ago, Isla had her second cochlear implant (CI) surgery, and today was the day they activated it. As we hoped, everything worked perfectly and Isla can now hear out of both ears.

Now the real work begins. Speech and language development will be the first priority; followed, of course, by a thorough study of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue

Those A-flat Mixolydian modes aren’t going to appreciate themselves!

To say we’re relieved and overjoyed would be an understatement. Even though the surgery went well, there was still a bit of apprehension. Luckily, Isla is getting used to the experience like a pro. I can’t imagine having a whole new world open up for me like that.

Of course, now I actually have to be the kind of father that is worth listening to. I’d better work on some new material or this kid is going to get BORED!

Patty & I want to thank everyone for the incredible amount of support we’ve received. Like any parents, we just want to provide the best life possible for our girl.

And so far, she seems to be appreciative.
December1st

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Insuring Cochlear Implants

Posted in: Baby, Hearing Loss, humor, parenting

With the activation of Isla’s second cochlear implant coming up next week, several people have asked me about what we would do if either of Isla’s cochlear implants became lost or stolen. Well, knowing myself pretty well, I’m reasonably certain that a well-choreographed “freak out” would be in order. It’s a good question, and one that warrants a serious answer (in a hopefully humorous way, of course.)

Well, obviously if it’s stolen, you file a police report immediately. That’s the recommendation of the manufacturer, Med-El. Coincidentally, it’s also the recommendation of Jor-El (pictured)

His other insights are less helpful

The warranty for Isla’s implant covers the internal electronics (the part under her skin) against failure for ten (10) years. The external components are covered for three (3) years from the date of activation against “mechanical or electrical defect,” but not for “theft, loss or accidental damage.”

HOWEVER (and it is a BIG “however”) our warranty provides a “One Time Loss and Damage” option. Which basically means that if anything happens to the external components within three years from the date of surgery, the manufacturer will replace the external components one time only.

(DISCLAIMER: Bear in mind that this information is taken directly from the warranty for Isla’s implant and may not apply to other implants or implants from other manufacturers. Be sure to carefully review your own warranty for coverage and specific limitations.)

Another option is look into obtaining a rider or endorsement for your homeowners insurance policy. Some companies will charge an additional premium to apply broader coverage for things like cochlear implants and hearing aids. Talk to your agent for details and ask a lot of questions!

A third option would be seek coverage from other companies that specialize in insuring medical equipment. A Google search will start you in the right direction, but this will require a lot more research on your part since coverage, costs, and the reliability of the insurer can vary widely. Talk to other people who have cochlear implants and find out what they recommend.

Fortunately, Isla’s implant is working fine and we are constantly watching to make sure the exterior components haven’t mysteriously disappeared or been thrown in the lake in a fit of frosting-related toddler rage. We also use “wig tape” like the kind I use to keep my toupee in place to prevent the control unit/battery pack from sliding off her ear as she leans forward to check out her hilariously oversized shoes.

Adorable moments like this, frankly, scare the crap out of us

I’m checking with my homeowners insurer to see if they offer additional coverage. I’ll let you know what I find out. Likewise, if any of you have any experience with this, please feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear it.
November29th

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Calling Doctor Isla

Posted in: Baby, Hearing Loss, Minnesota, parenting

Patty & I brought Isla to the Minnesota Children’s Museum on Sunday for some much-needed “burn off all your excess energy so you can for-the-love-of-God take a nap” time. We have annual passes to the museum, so we tend to go there a lot.

As you can imagine, Isla loves any place where she cannot possibly run out of things to do. This time, she decided to hang out in the “Our World” exhibit, which includes a toddler-sized “Main Street,” complete with a mini doctor’s office. Considering how much time Isla has spent in the hospital, it was a bit of a relief to see her enjoying the surroundings. She couldn’t wait to try on the lab coat and play with the stethoscope. She even attempted to break my leg in the hopes that she could take a real x-ray! (I’m still a little disturbed by that.)

I know she’s just playing, but it’s amazing to watch her figure things out while also having fun. Patty & I aren’t pushy parents, but we just want her to know that she can do anything she wants to in her life. She’s becoming a more confident little girl every day, and something tells me that she won’t let a little thing like hearing loss slow her down.

I just hope I can keep up.
October31st

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More

Posted in: Baby, geek, Hearing Loss, Video

I’ll be honest, I can’t remember if I ever posted this short video of Isla doing the ASL sign for “more.” Well, if I did, here is is again.

I’m actually posting this to test out whether I can do a video podcast. In case you haven’t noticed (and judging by the stats, you haven’t,) I have a neat little Podcast over at iTunes. Whenever I post an original piece of music here on my blog, it automatically gets added as an audio podcast on iTunes. You can subscribe by clicking on the “iTunes Podcast” button on the right sidebar. Oh, and it’s free!

Well, I am attempting to see if I can add a video podcast as well. If this sounds very geeky and if I lost you 5 minutes ago, you’re finally starting to understand what a conversation with me is actually like. Either way, I hope it works, and I hope you enjoy the short (23 second) video.