Aubrie signing and hearing

[Guest guest]

I can just envision Aubrie signing to the choir singing and it sounds and

looks beautiful. So glad the surgery has improved her hearing. Merry Christmas.

Crites Clan

Chrystal

Arleigh-4

Chrystine CHaRGE-14 mos.

Silas-11 wks.

[Guest guest]

Hi!

Just a quick check in with some news. Aubrie's hearing continues to

improve. Here are the numbers for those of you to whom it's meaningful:

Before surgery, her left ear was at: 90dB at 500 Hz, 85 at 1000, 60 at

2000, and 60 at 4000. We checked her hearing a month ago and found dramatic

improvement. We rechecked the other day. Just over the past month she's

had increases of: +10dB at 250Hz, +10 at 500Hz, +20 at 1000, +5 at 2000, and

+15 at 4000. Her current hearing levels in her left ear are: 55dB at

250Hz, 40 at 500, 30 at 1000, 30 at 2000, and 35 at 3000.

Pretty cool!

The children at church sang one song with the adult choir for 2 different

performances. She signed the song! I could tell she got better and better

at it from practice to the first service to the second. So adorable! No

one in the congregation knows sign so they didn't know if she was right or

not, but they did know what she was doing and they were so impressed!

Tomorrow is her program at ISD. Their rhythm teacher is phenomenal and puts

on huge musical performances. This year they are doing the sound track to

Polar Express. It's only 30 minutes long, but I hear Aubrie steals the

show! I plan to videotape. If I get it done and figure out how to post it

to the web, I'll do that for you guys to see - unless I really shouldn't

because other kids will be in the video as well. Can anyone recommend the

best site for free posting of photos and videos?

The only thing I am seeing that concerns me about her learning to sign is

that she now speaks in short little ASL sentences (sometimes). I have to

remind her that she must use complete sentences when speaking and ASL

sentences when signing.

The principal at ISD and I have decided that things happened this way for a

reason. For various reasons, going to ISD wasn't appropriate any earlier.

I've always wanted her to learn sign - again for many reasons some of which

have little to do with her actual hearing level - like to communicate with

her CHARGE peers and in case she loses hearing later in life. If she'd had

this surgery earlier, she'd never have learned sign. So. no regrets.

Everything happens in its own time and for its own reasons. (Remind me of

this next time I'm being regretful!)

Happy Holidays!! Oh - another benefit of ISD is the cultural variety! In

our whitebread rural town, we don't get much of that. In her class, she has

a Hispanic boy from the Chicago area and a Jewish girl. One day, her mom

brought in latkes and taught them the driedel game. How fun is that!?

There are lots of colors throughout the school - really beautiful to see!

Michele W

Aubrie's mom 9 yrs CHaRgE and 15 yrs, wife to DJ, in IL

[Guest guest]

Chrystal-

Oh - she's a peach! She totally delights in being on the stage - not an

ounce of nervousness or inhibition!

Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. With all those little ones,

you've got years of really special Christmases to look forward to!

Michele W

_____

From: CHARGE [mailto:CHARGE ] On Behalf Of

CJCRITES@...

Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 1:52 PM

To: CHARGE

Subject: Re: Aubrie signing and hearing

I can just envision Aubrie signing to the choir singing and it sounds and

looks beautiful. So glad the surgery has improved her hearing. Merry

Christmas.

Crites Clan

Chrystal

Arleigh-4

Chrystine CHaRGE-14 mos.

Silas-11 wks.

[Guest guest]

Michele, if you get it into a digital format and email it to me, I'll host

it for you til folks see it.

>

> Hi!

>

> Just a quick check in with some news. Aubrie's hearing continues to

> improve. Here are the numbers for those of you to whom it's meaningful:

>

> Before surgery, her left ear was at: 90dB at 500 Hz, 85 at 1000, 60 at

> 2000, and 60 at 4000. We checked her hearing a month ago and found

> dramatic

> improvement. We rechecked the other day. Just over the past month she's

> had increases of: +10dB at 250Hz, +10 at 500Hz, +20 at 1000, +5 at 2000,

> and

> +15 at 4000. Her current hearing levels in her left ear are: 55dB at

> 250Hz, 40 at 500, 30 at 1000, 30 at 2000, and 35 at 3000.

>

> Pretty cool!

>

> The children at church sang one song with the adult choir for 2 different

> performances. She signed the song! I could tell she got better and better

> at it from practice to the first service to the second. So adorable! No

> one in the congregation knows sign so they didn't know if she was right or

> not, but they did know what she was doing and they were so impressed!

>

> Tomorrow is her program at ISD. Their rhythm teacher is phenomenal and

> puts

> on huge musical performances. This year they are doing the sound track to

> Polar Express. It's only 30 minutes long, but I hear Aubrie steals the

> show! I plan to videotape. If I get it done and figure out how to post it

> to the web, I'll do that for you guys to see - unless I really shouldn't

> because other kids will be in the video as well. Can anyone recommend the

> best site for free posting of photos and videos?

>

> The only thing I am seeing that concerns me about her learning to sign is

> that she now speaks in short little ASL sentences (sometimes). I have to

> remind her that she must use complete sentences when speaking and ASL

> sentences when signing.

>

> The principal at ISD and I have decided that things happened this way for

> a

> reason. For various reasons, going to ISD wasn't appropriate any earlier.

> I've always wanted her to learn sign - again for many reasons some of

> which

> have little to do with her actual hearing level - like to communicate with

> her CHARGE peers and in case she loses hearing later in life. If she'd had

> this surgery earlier, she'd never have learned sign. So. no regrets.

> Everything happens in its own time and for its own reasons. (Remind me of

> this next time I'm being regretful!)

>

> Happy Holidays!! Oh - another benefit of ISD is the cultural variety! In

> our whitebread rural town, we don't get much of that. In her class, she

> has

> a Hispanic boy from the Chicago area and a Jewish girl. One day, her mom

> brought in latkes and taught them the driedel game. How fun is that!?

> There are lots of colors throughout the school - really beautiful to see!

>

> Michele W

> Aubrie's mom 9 yrs CHaRgE and 15 yrs, wife to DJ, in IL

>

>

[Guest guest]

Aren't you awesome?? Thanks!

Michele

_____

From: CHARGE [mailto:CHARGE ] On Behalf Of

Weir

Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 4:06 PM

To: CHARGE

Subject: Re: Aubrie signing and hearing

Michele, if you get it into a digital format and email it to me, I'll host

it for you til folks see it.

On 12/19/06, Michele Westmaas <momonamission@

<mailto:momonamission%40verizon.net> verizon.net> wrote:

>

> Hi!

>

> Just a quick check in with some news. Aubrie's hearing continues to

> improve. Here are the numbers for those of you to whom it's meaningful:

>

> Before surgery, her left ear was at: 90dB at 500 Hz, 85 at 1000, 60 at

> 2000, and 60 at 4000. We checked her hearing a month ago and found

> dramatic

> improvement. We rechecked the other day. Just over the past month she's

> had increases of: +10dB at 250Hz, +10 at 500Hz, +20 at 1000, +5 at 2000,

> and

> +15 at 4000. Her current hearing levels in her left ear are: 55dB at

> 250Hz, 40 at 500, 30 at 1000, 30 at 2000, and 35 at 3000.

>

> Pretty cool!

>

> The children at church sang one song with the adult choir for 2 different

> performances. She signed the song! I could tell she got better and better

> at it from practice to the first service to the second. So adorable! No

> one in the congregation knows sign so they didn't know if she was right or

> not, but they did know what she was doing and they were so impressed!

>

> Tomorrow is her program at ISD. Their rhythm teacher is phenomenal and

> puts

> on huge musical performances. This year they are doing the sound track to

> Polar Express. It's only 30 minutes long, but I hear Aubrie steals the

> show! I plan to videotape. If I get it done and figure out how to post it

> to the web, I'll do that for you guys to see - unless I really shouldn't

> because other kids will be in the video as well. Can anyone recommend the

> best site for free posting of photos and videos?

>

> The only thing I am seeing that concerns me about her learning to sign is

> that she now speaks in short little ASL sentences (sometimes). I have to

> remind her that she must use complete sentences when speaking and ASL

> sentences when signing.

>

> The principal at ISD and I have decided that things happened this way for

> a

> reason. For various reasons, going to ISD wasn't appropriate any earlier.

> I've always wanted her to learn sign - again for many reasons some of

> which

> have little to do with her actual hearing level - like to communicate with

> her CHARGE peers and in case she loses hearing later in life. If she'd had

> this surgery earlier, she'd never have learned sign. So. no regrets.

> Everything happens in its own time and for its own reasons. (Remind me of

> this next time I'm being regretful!)

>

> Happy Holidays!! Oh - another benefit of ISD is the cultural variety! In

> our whitebread rural town, we don't get much of that. In her class, she

> has

> a Hispanic boy from the Chicago area and a Jewish girl. One day, her mom

> brought in latkes and taught them the driedel game. How fun is that!?

> There are lots of colors throughout the school - really beautiful to see!

>

> Michele W

> Aubrie's mom 9 yrs CHaRgE and 15 yrs, wife to DJ, in IL

>

>

[Guest guest]

Awesome news, Michele. I wish to goodness we'd known about this sort

of intervention when was much younger...That's one of the reasons

why this list is so important: parents need information.

It's funny that you mentioned diversity making a difference in school.

Springfield, too, is mainly whitewashed. As a matter of fact, when

was born, my beloved Ella flew here to help. She was

accustomed to a real mixture in New Orleans and so terrified because

there were no black faces here that she refused to leave the car at one

point.

Then there's , who still rants about the lack of diversity here -

though even she has remarked on tremendous change in recent years. I

remember when she probably thought her parents were freaks for being

Democrats.

certainly profited greatly from the diversity at Perkins. I truly think

that

she'll accept anyone if they accept her.

And, on my soapbox, I must add that I hope you will maintain the sign

language. We didn't have it early with , and then she lost all hearing

and had just a tad of sign. That almost certainly won't happen (Perkins

had never seen a child with so many infections); still, it's the old better

safe than sorry.

Andy and i wish you the best of holidays. Revel in the great news! Martha

[Guest guest]

Martha-

I really hope we can keep up her sign skills. I think the world runs on

good intentions, you know. The realization came as we've been talking about

all the Christmas cards never sent and I've run out of time to buy the gifts

I meant to get, etc. So I hope we don't fall into just good intentions. In

any case, I think having known it and had the experience of it will help her

re-learn if she should ever have to.

If I ever get her computer running again, we have sign software that would

help a bit in keeping in practice.

You have a wonderful holiday as well. I hope you get some quiet, peaceful

moments amidst all the regular daily stuff!

Michele W

[Guest guest]

Michele,

What a perfect picture. I have missed so much of Aubrie's fantastic

development. sounds as though she took to sign like the proverbial duck to

water. She sounds so confident a well to not feel self-conscious using her

language in front of everyone, but she has always loved the stage, hasn't

she?

Really pleased to hear about her hearing improvements. Enjoy your little

girl and have a great Xmas.

Flo (UK)

Mum to - CHARGE - (6) and Elly (4)

[Guest guest]

Michele!!

That is wonderful news!! Both the improvements and the great

attitude are wonderful!!!

Looking forward to the video!

Janay

Rasha's mom

>

> Hi!

>

> Just a quick check in with some news. Aubrie's hearing continues

to

> improve. Here are the numbers for those of you to whom it's

meaningful:

>

>

>

> Before surgery, her left ear was at: 90dB at 500 Hz, 85 at 1000,

60 at

> 2000, and 60 at 4000. We checked her hearing a month ago and

found dramatic

> improvement. We rechecked the other day. Just over the past

month she's

> had increases of: +10dB at 250Hz, +10 at 500Hz, +20 at 1000, +5 at

2000, and

> +15 at 4000. Her current hearing levels in her left ear are:

55dB at

> 250Hz, 40 at 500, 30 at 1000, 30 at 2000, and 35 at 3000.

>

>

>

> Pretty cool!

>

>

>

> The children at church sang one song with the adult choir for 2

different

> performances. She signed the song! I could tell she got better

and better

> at it from practice to the first service to the second. So

adorable! No

> one in the congregation knows sign so they didn't know if she was

right or

> not, but they did know what she was doing and they were so

impressed!

>

>

>

> Tomorrow is her program at ISD. Their rhythm teacher is

phenomenal and puts

> on huge musical performances. This year they are doing the sound

track to

> Polar Express. It's only 30 minutes long, but I hear Aubrie

steals the

> show! I plan to videotape. If I get it done and figure out how

to post it

> to the web, I'll do that for you guys to see - unless I really

shouldn't

> because other kids will be in the video as well. Can anyone

recommend the

> best site for free posting of photos and videos?

>

>

>

> The only thing I am seeing that concerns me about her learning to

sign is

> that she now speaks in short little ASL sentences (sometimes). I

have to

> remind her that she must use complete sentences when speaking and

ASL

> sentences when signing.

>

>

>

> The principal at ISD and I have decided that things happened this

way for a

> reason. For various reasons, going to ISD wasn't appropriate any

earlier.

> I've always wanted her to learn sign - again for many reasons some

of which

> have little to do with her actual hearing level - like to

communicate with

> her CHARGE peers and in case she loses hearing later in life. If

she'd had

> this surgery earlier, she'd never have learned sign. So. no

regrets.

> Everything happens in its own time and for its own reasons.

(Remind me of

> this next time I'm being regretful!)

>

>

>

> Happy Holidays!! Oh - another benefit of ISD is the cultural

variety! In

> our whitebread rural town, we don't get much of that. In her

class, she has

> a Hispanic boy from the Chicago area and a Jewish girl. One day,

her mom

> brought in latkes and taught them the driedel game. How fun is

that!?

> There are lots of colors throughout the school - really beautiful

to see!

>

>

>

> Michele W

> Aubrie's mom 9 yrs CHaRgE and 15 yrs, wife to DJ, in IL

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Michele, That is so awsome!! I would love to see video of Aubrie

stealing the show. I loved all the video you had when I met you of

her (she was ALOT younger then). But I love seeing video of all our

little ones.

So glad her hearing is doing so much better and the surgery went

well.

Crystal mom to (10), (3), and Eva (20 month old CHARGEr)

wife to Dan in Illinois

>

> Hi!

>

> Just a quick check in with some news. Aubrie's hearing continues

to

> improve. Here are the numbers for those of you to whom it's

meaningful:

>

>

>

> Before surgery, her left ear was at: 90dB at 500 Hz, 85 at 1000,

60 at

> 2000, and 60 at 4000. We checked her hearing a month ago and

found dramatic

> improvement. We rechecked the other day. Just over the past

month she's

> had increases of: +10dB at 250Hz, +10 at 500Hz, +20 at 1000, +5 at

2000, and

> +15 at 4000. Her current hearing levels in her left ear are:

55dB at

> 250Hz, 40 at 500, 30 at 1000, 30 at 2000, and 35 at 3000.

>

>

>

> Pretty cool!

>

>

>

> The children at church sang one song with the adult choir for 2

different

> performances. She signed the song! I could tell she got better

and better

> at it from practice to the first service to the second. So

adorable! No

> one in the congregation knows sign so they didn't know if she was

right or

> not, but they did know what she was doing and they were so

impressed!

>

>

>

> Tomorrow is her program at ISD. Their rhythm teacher is

phenomenal and puts

> on huge musical performances. This year they are doing the sound

track to

> Polar Express. It's only 30 minutes long, but I hear Aubrie

steals the

> show! I plan to videotape. If I get it done and figure out how

to post it

> to the web, I'll do that for you guys to see - unless I really

shouldn't

> because other kids will be in the video as well. Can anyone

recommend the

> best site for free posting of photos and videos?

>

>

>

> The only thing I am seeing that concerns me about her learning to

sign is

> that she now speaks in short little ASL sentences (sometimes). I

have to

> remind her that she must use complete sentences when speaking and

ASL

> sentences when signing.

>

>

>

> The principal at ISD and I have decided that things happened this

way for a

> reason. For various reasons, going to ISD wasn't appropriate any

earlier.

> I've always wanted her to learn sign - again for many reasons some

of which

> have little to do with her actual hearing level - like to

communicate with

> her CHARGE peers and in case she loses hearing later in life. If

she'd had

> this surgery earlier, she'd never have learned sign. So. no

regrets.

> Everything happens in its own time and for its own reasons.

(Remind me of

> this next time I'm being regretful!)

>

>

>

> Happy Holidays!! Oh - another benefit of ISD is the cultural

variety! In

> our whitebread rural town, we don't get much of that. In her

class, she has

> a Hispanic boy from the Chicago area and a Jewish girl. One day,

her mom

> brought in latkes and taught them the driedel game. How fun is

that!?

> There are lots of colors throughout the school - really beautiful

to see!

>

>

>

> Michele W

> Aubrie's mom 9 yrs CHaRgE and 15 yrs, wife to DJ, in IL

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Flo-

Yes, she's always loved the stage and being in the limelight. She has no

inhibitions in any context. Doesn't really get embarrassed, doesn't care

that other kids don't like Barney at her age, etc. I'm wondering if

self-consciousness will kick in at a later age. I hope not. It really is a

lovely thing to witness because she just loves everything about being

Aubrie! She's a little nervous about sign. One day recently, they had a

silent day - all ASL all day. She came home mentally exhausted, but was

signing more even that evening. She realizes that she doesn't know every

word and that's bothersome, but she seems to do fine and learns without

being intimidated.

Michele W

_____

From: CHARGE [mailto:CHARGE ] On Behalf Of

Flo Njeru

Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 6:06 PM

To: CHARGE

Subject: Re: Aubrie signing and hearing

Michele,

What a perfect picture. I have missed so much of Aubrie's fantastic

development. sounds as though she took to sign like the proverbial duck to

water. She sounds so confident a well to not feel self-conscious using her

language in front of everyone, but she has always loved the stage, hasn't

she?

Really pleased to hear about her hearing improvements. Enjoy your little

girl and have a great Xmas.

Flo (UK)

Mum to - CHARGE - (6) and Elly (4)

[Guest guest]

keep the sign up u never no she might meet katie or soemone like ehr who

catn speak and shell need to sigh and great news on the other stuff

>

> Flo-

>

> Yes, she's always loved the stage and being in the limelight. She has no

> inhibitions in any context. Doesn't really get embarrassed, doesn't care

> that other kids don't like Barney at her age, etc. I'm wondering if

> self-consciousness will kick in at a later age. I hope not. It really is a

> lovely thing to witness because she just loves everything about being

> Aubrie! She's a little nervous about sign. One day recently, they had a

> silent day - all ASL all day. She came home mentally exhausted, but was

> signing more even that evening. She realizes that she doesn't know every

> word and that's bothersome, but she seems to do fine and learns without

> being intimidated.

>

> Michele W

>

> _____

>

> From: CHARGE <CHARGE%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto:

> CHARGE <CHARGE%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of

> Flo Njeru

> Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 6:06 PM

> To: CHARGE <CHARGE%40yahoogroups.com>

> Subject: Re: Aubrie signing and hearing

>

> Michele,

> What a perfect picture. I have missed so much of Aubrie's fantastic

> development. sounds as though she took to sign like the proverbial duck to

> water. She sounds so confident a well to not feel self-conscious using her

> language in front of everyone, but she has always loved the stage, hasn't

> she?

>

> Really pleased to hear about her hearing improvements. Enjoy your little

> girl and have a great Xmas.

>

> Flo (UK)

> Mum to - CHARGE - (6) and Elly (4)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ellen-

You're right. We hope/plan to keep up the sign skills enough to have a

conversation with her CHARGE and Deaf friends along the way.

Have a merry Christmas! Does it come to you before or after us??

Michele W

Aubrie's mom

_____

From: CHARGE [mailto:CHARGE ] On Behalf Of

ellen howe

Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 1:26 AM

To: CHARGE

Subject: Re: Aubrie signing and hearing

keep the sign up u never no she might meet katie or soemone like ehr who

catn speak and shell need to sigh and great news on the other stuff