Poor Girl???

Last week at the YMCA daycare, the daycare student smiled at Riley Mae and said "poor girl", with a smile and open arms. Poor girl?

Now let me give you alittle background....

Riley was born with EVA which is an enlarged vestibular that makes her have little to no hearing in both ears. This condition usually gets worse over time, and it has for Riley. She was born with some hearing in her left ear, and over time...it was getting worse.

We, Josh and I, decided to get her cochlear implants in both ears at 9 months old. Research shows that the younger the child gets implanted and starts getting stimulation of sound, the better chances are of them developing speech and being at the same level of their peers.

Now let me skip 9 months and now she has had the surgery, gotten activated in BOTH ears and is happy as can be. She babbles, looks to sounds, claps and is now waving to everyone! Would you call that a poor girl?

I actually feel for moms that don't take every single word and movement their child makes for granted. Last night I was talking to Riley and I said HI RILEY.....she looked at me and waved. She listened to me. She didn't just hear me, she was listening. I cried! How many moms can say that. It is just natural for them. Every time Riley listens, I notice. Every time Riley makes a reaction to sound, I notice. It has made me a better mom. 

 

Two weeks ago I was playing with Riley and I started laughing (which is a loud annoying sound) and Riley dropped everything a looked at me and just had such a big smile. She heard that. Those are the moments I would miss if Riley had normal hearing. Every little sound I point out when we are outside...the wind, the trees, the birds, cars, everything. Would I do that if Riley had normal hearing?

So many times we are so busy that we don't notice how are children develop. How much they learn through their environment. I can hostly say that I am NOT guilty of that. I work full time, teach 3 spinning classes a week, have speech therapy for Riley once a week but I still notice every single move she makes. We she hears her toys, I notice. She has broughten me that gift. The gift of motherhood that most moms don't have. The gift to be happy when my child is talking to much, or waking up the baby, or being loud in a restuarant.

So many times I see complaining on Facebook about such small miniscle things that make me think....that poor girl. She doesn't realize that even though their child is waking up the baby, or running around like a maniac screaming, she has a gift that she takes for granted. That will be something that I never take for granted...something that makes me smile everyday. Riley will have more than most kids I know.

Now do you think this is a poor girl???

Shannon