A Few Months Until Stereo!

So the other day I went to see Don Plapinger (one of my hearing doctors). We were going to test my responsiveness in a sound booth, upgrade my profiles on my implants, and also discuss my second surgery for implantation.

During the hearing test, I turned at 10db, which sounds like this

" hello Isaac "

So I am doing pretty good. I am getting good at locating sounds, mimicking sounds, and also just babbling away, with an occasional yell just because its funny to watch people get scared at the power of my vocal cords.

AHHHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(be afraid)


We also scheduled my second implant date for September 16, which unfortunately makes it impossible for us to go on this cruise we were going to take. Which really bummed me out, as I have been playing with my boat in the tub pretending it was an ocean liner like the ones I see in the Baby Einstein videos, and just like the one my parents assured me we would be taking on the cruise.

But they say we can take a cruise anytime, and getting my other ear implanted is priority number one.... I can hardly wait for the second implant. I get super frustrated when It falls off, or when I have to take it off for baths or swimming. What can I say, I love to hear!

One other thing about the implantation in September is that Cochlear is releasing a new implant (which is already out in Europe but not FDA approved here) and OHSU is one of the medical facilities that has the ability to implant kids with the new device as long as it is done between now and the end of September.

The only problem with it is that I would only get One of the new processors (thing worn around the ear) and would have 3 of the old ones (there are two processors for each ear, in case one is damaged we have a backup while it is sent off and fixed).

The only problem with having one new and one old, is that only one ear would benefit from the new technology, and that the new one is a lot smaller so my sweet sweet symmetry would be off.

We are asking Cochlear to consider giving two New processors (so both ears will benefit from the same technology and preserve my symmetry) and keeping two of the Old technology processors for back up.

Lets keep our fingers crossed. I have a good feeling about this as the Cochlear company has amazing customer support (one of the reasons my parents chose them). I think they will come through, even if its something like, we get only one new one now and an old version that we don't open and then trade in once the FDA approves the implant.

I will of course keep you posted about any new developments on this front....

P.S. I am FULL ON walking now and keep my parents very, very busy. I will post photos soon.....

Conquring The Ocean

For some reason I was scared of sand the last time I went to the beach. Not really sure why, but I was.

So naturally my parents took me back there...

The day was calm and warm.





My mom carried me out to a little pool of water that was trapped on land from the retreating tide.





I felt panic boiling inside my belly.






But the warmth of the water was too enchanting.







I looked at my reflection, and saw small creatures swimming around....






I had to get a closer look, this little tide pool had the all the right ingredients for pure awesomeness..






Needless to say......

Fear....

Conquered!





The waves were very loud and I kept looking up at them.





*they looked like this*







When I heard the waves crashing they got me all pumped up,






so I started to make my own waves, turns out I'm a pretty good wave maker.






I found my truck that I love and started pushing it around in the water. I tore the place up!






VROOOOMMM




This is a picture of what the car sees when I push it around.





Wheelie!





At some point my truck adventures came to a screeching halt because I found something in the sand.





My dad insisted it was alive but It didn't really move, and seemed more like a rock to me.








until I grabbed it and flipped it over,








and underneath was the craziest thing I had ever seen. Zillions of little tentacles.








After that my dad took me down to the waves... they were even louder up close.






I got wrapped up in a towel and we headed home.
My fear of sand long forgotten, and my new found love for the beach birthed into existence.

A bird tale

The world is a magnificent place that continues to put me in a state of awe. As spring and summer roll around I see the wonders of animal and plant life. In fact, I recently got to experience the cycle of life first hand.

It was about.... a month ago (flashback music)...

Cherries were ripening on our cherry tree, the sun was out, birds and bees puttered around, and the trees and plants were howling with a deep green as they soaked up the sun. Flowers were exploding with color and I was out on the deck playing with my wonderful little glacier toy driving my cars into its depths and tossing raisins that I wanted to save into the blue water (upon returning the next day these raisins had grown plump and juicy!).

I was minding my own business when I heard chirping above me. I looked up to see a wonderful little bird in the tree (you will have to excuse the horrible pictures, I am only 15 months old and my job at National Geographic is still pretty far off).




Could you see the bird? Well it's there, trust me.

After I took the picture of the bird, I watched it for awhile. It stayed in the tree for a few minutes and then flew toward the garage where it landed on these small houses that hang on the side, and to my amazement it went inside the little house. Now this was shocking as I thought those houses were just funny little things my parents had put up for some reason or to make their house look bigger. It turns out these are actually bird houses and my new found fascination had found itself a home.

I went and grabbed my dad and showed him what was going on. He was shocked that a bird would actually use these rickety old houses as well. We watched as the bird brought in small little pieces of plants.



My dad said the bird was building a nest to lay eggs.

I was very excited because my dad told me the eggs would turn into small little baby birds. I was going to experience the miracle of life!

I noticed that Ripley was also very excited about this miracle and wanted to congratulate the bird because he started hanging out below the birds new home and watched it fly in and out.



At some point mom called us in for lunch. I can't remember what we had but my mom makes me lots of yummy foods, so I am sure it was delicious! During lunch there was a large noise from outside. My dad cursed and said "the bird house" and ran outside. I got scared and went after him. The bird house was on the ground and Rippy ran past me.

My dad carefully picked up the bird house and attached it back to the garage. He also then put a stick under it to hold it up because the top busted up into small pieces.
(and yes, the above picture was taken after this incident, but I thought it still fit well enough)

After we fixed it my dad was worried the bird might not return for the eggs, and Ripley was worried he might not get a tasty snack after all. You can see Ripley is searching for a tasty treat on the ground.




After about an hour the bird came back and was laying on the eggs again inside. Ripley was brought in and then day turned to night, and night turned to day, and days turned to a week.

That next week, while we were eating lunch again there was a large crash from outside. Another curse rose from my dad followed by "RIPLEY!!!" as he ran outside. I once again got scared, and went after him. Mom came running and picked me up. When we got outside the bird house was again on the ground busted up, and the eggs were strewn across the ground. My dad was looking around for something to put the eggs back in the nest with.

We eventually got the bird house back up. Two of the eggs were destroyed but we had saved two of them. The bird returned and was squawking loudly as it jumped from branch to branch in the tree.

The bird went to the house, peered inside and then took off. We checked the house from time to time but after a day or so of not seeing the bird it was obvious it had had enough of our crappy little bird apartment and had decided to move on.

Poor birds.

I still love Ripley.

Peak-a-boo!!!! or a Door To Door Salesman

This is just a silly little game I was playing the other day with the door. My dad took about six hundred thousand pictures. After 18 hours of deleting unworthy images we realized we had no idea how to incorporate them into the blog.

So we decided to try to make a story out of the images by piecing them together. You can decide if it was successful or not. I give it a 2 out of 5, but an "A" for effort. Way to go us!

Random Images + Bizarre story = mildly entertaining




Yes can I help you?




Actually, No, I do not want my ceiling vacuumed!



Listen BUD, I said NO! I do not want a demonstration on the Whirlwind 6000. And no I will not change my mind even for that fluffy kitty you hold in your hand!




Now I suggest you take your kitty and your vacuum and get in your little van and make like a cell and split!



I SAY GOOD DAY SIR!



Wait! What are you doing? Why are you putting the cat in my mailbox?



Don't make me come out there!



You are entering a world of pain.... a world... of pain!





Not my best work, but the pictures were alright? right?

The Beach Trip

This is one of those posts that I have been saving and trying to get around to for a long while now. I am, fortunately, almost caught up with these.

This post doesn't have a funny story, or anything. The reason I post it is that the pictures taken are all fairly epic and I encourage any readers to at least click on a few (if not all) to view in their full resolution.

This is our walk on the beach during the Avery and Her Parents visit to the Beach House.



Here we are just getting down to the water. The coloring of the sky and the reflection of that color on the beach.



I was strapped to my dads back in a backpack for this adventure. We took a lot of pictures of ourselves while we walked... not many turned out.... and even in this one my dad is making a silly face.



I like this shot because the clouds seem to mirror the extension of the beach all the way down to the mouth of the river.



My dad loved Stephen King's short story "The Mist", he even liked the movie (which I was not allowed to watch, and which Mom said had a terrible ending, according to my dad it did not). The point I am trying to make is that this picture, as they walk into the clouds, reminds my dad of something out of the mist.



This shot is epic for so many reasons. You really get a sense of how vast and amazing the beach looked that day. The proportions of the people to the clouds and beach in the distance is incredible.



My mom is cute. This is my favorite scarf that she wears.



Shot of the clouds, I thought there was a better one, and maybe there is, but I don't have it with me.



This is also a favorite of mine from that day. The reflection and mirroring of the clouds above on the beach is just amazing. There are probably fifty shots like this. I think I got the best one put up here. I will double check to make sure when I get home.



Another shot of the beach...



I passed out on the walk back to the car with my mouth on the pack. It looks really comfortable.

Father's Day!

Since my dad usually helps me write these blogs I convinced my mom to help me out this time so that I could wish my dad a happy Father's Day. He is really the best dad in the whole world and spends so much time being silly and making me laugh, Mom is a real snore compared to him (sorry Mom!). His summer term begins tomorrow and I am really going to miss him being around during the day but I know that he will miss me too and will still give me my bath every night, so I am OK with the school thing (I guess). Plus, I hear that he will be a tennis and golf master and that sounds pretty cool.

Anyway, I just wanted to say Happy Father's Day Dad!!! I just think that you are just the cat's pajamas (well not Bailey's pj's but maybe Ripley's, or Elliot's from next door). I love you.

Walking (no really)

So for some reason yesterday I started walking. It was really, really weird.

Previously the most steps I had taken was two in a row, and that was maybe a total of 3 times.
So the other day, after eating a ton of cherries and hanging out in the warm sun with my dad, I decided to get down off his lap and take a few steps.

I got to two steps and stopped. I could feel my dads eyes wide with anticipation. His mind racing, should he call Mom? Will she get here in time? I was already at my max so I know hes thinking if he calls out she will never make it in time to see, and what if the yell startled me...

Then I realize... I don't have to stop. I can keep going...

So I take two more steps.

Now I know my dad is having a heart attack behind me. He can hardly believe it. He has stopped breathing. Hell, I stopped breathing!

Then I hear him call out...

MOM! MOM! MOM!

and I can hear her running. Now its a waiting game. Will I take more steps? Will she make it in time to see me at least standing? Or will I fall before she gets here...

In the moment I honestly couldn't tell you if I knew what was going to happen next. It was like a switch had been thrown on in my head. All of a sudden I realized I didn't have to lower myself to a crawling position.

My mom rounds the corner and sees me standing... and then I take off walking in a flurry of steps. One after the other. I march right over to my table pool toy and toss a cracker into the blue waters.

SCREW YOU CRACKER! I'M A BIG BOY NOW!!!

and then I turn around and walk back toward my dad. My parents are as white as ghosts. I mean previous to this moment I had a total of two steps taken and about thirty seconds of in air time. Now here I suddenly am with twenty plus steps and I am knocking on a minute plus.

But I wasn't done.

I walked right past my dad and toward the back gate. I was full of life. I was unstoppable. I could conquer the world!!!!

and then I fell down.. right on my bum!
I was so scared...and it startled me so badly that now I can't seem to let go of my parents arms or legs even for more then a few steps.

but don't worry, Ill get the courage back. And when I do I'll be coming to your house and borrowing stuff.

A Star is Born

Our next door neighbor is a teacher but she wants to break into the business of photography. So she asked if she could take some pictures of me to put up on her website.

I, of course, said yes. I think they turned out pretty good, and I figure what the hay, I'll give her a plug for her new business.

Studio Sub Dio
Sara Patrick
503.371.2077
www.paisleysplace.blogspot.com

She puts out some nice photographs for an extremely reasonable price.










I only include this one because in this photo it is the first time I am standing up from a sitting position on my own.











This is my blue steel