Life With Toddlers

As a parent to a deaf child, you might think my house is quiet. Au contraire. It is anything but. I've seen videos of toddlers who communicate excitedly but quietly using sign and I think about how pleasant car trips must be for that family. Here? Not so much. My deaf toddler is NOT quiet. He is constantly chattering, which I'm told is a great sign for his future with cochlear implants. I spent most of this past year convinced he had croup because that's what he sounds like. My little seal is squealing and squawking over and over throughout the day. While I'm glad he's attempting to make sounds, it's also very trying on this mama who craves silence and peace. The seal-sounding-toddler teaches the hearing toddler that this sort of communication is not only accepted, but encouraged and thus they've created a little language between the two of them that is complete nonsense. LOUD NONSENSE. And it makes me absolutely crazy.

But I will continue to pour my heart and soul into raising these boys because they are my most important job and I love them so. Even when I'm pulling out my hair, I can't imagine a day without the crazy.

I mean, K is currently cah-rack-ing up at absolutely nothing as he jumps around like a little monkey on the couch. And Abel is stuffing his face full of crackers and signing "more food" and "more milk" even though he has plenty right in front of him. They are characters, these two. They're molding me. I hope they're pushing me to be a better mother and better person. Next month, I'll add another little boy to the mix. I wonder if he'll have his brother's curly hair or his other brother's ability to hear. Will he be able to hear mama whisper to him while I'm tending to him at night? Will he look like Abe and me or will he take after his father and Kinley? I can't wait to know.