Sometimes communicating with other people about life is difficult for me, but only if it is not in person. So, forgive me for my lack of correspondence on this here blog. Really, things are happening, Corrina is getting chattier and taller, and I do have pictures to share. But, I work best in person. Sorry

I always forget

I had so many things floating around in my head to write about. Normal things too, life stuff instead of just 'news' (which I know is important and exciting for everyone, but sometimes there is just enough news)! The only thing I can remember to say is that I made delicious iced tea, but i botched the batch. Would that have made a better title for this post: Botched the Batch? Ha! Anyway, here is what I did:
1 big juice Jug
6 Regular tea bags
+boiling water
*Let steep for about 3 minutes (maybe less, maybe more... that's a lot of tea bags)
Remove bags, add 1 sliced lemon
* and here is where I think I went wrong*
Place jug, with lemons in fridge overnight (and you will find a very acidic, bitter cold tea in the morning.) Take out lemons in morning
I think I should have taken them out at night! Maybe... maybe not though, because once I added sugar (or splenda, depending on my mood for the day) and watered the tea down a little, like 3/4 tea 1/4 water the iced tea taste EXCELLENT!
There is my summer iced tea recipe then for everyone! Until I create a better one!

Today Corrina is at daycare learning learning learning (everything is said in three's now! If you come to visit and want to know how to talk to Corrina my biggest tip is to talk in three's three's three's!). Corrina's one-on-one worker is very dedicated and excellent. We were sent home from therapy last week with some coloring sheets of pictures like boats, animals, cars, etc. to give Corrina more opportunity for language... after our therapy session yesterday (detailed post at Hear we Go) our 1-1 worker P was telling us about the great evening she and her daughter had coloring the pics and talking about being a special needs worker! I liked that she took the time to actualy color the pictures. She will laminate them at the daycare and hang them up for Corrina and all the kids (the best part is that they put velcro on the backs and stick them to a carpet wall so the kids can move them around. they all have a picture of themselves up too!). All that to say that she does excellent work with Corrina and we thank God because we (i?) were worried about how daycare would go. She is definately receving great attention and language opportunities there!
So, today Corrina is at daycare, which means I am at home listening to two 3hr lectures on the ipod, and writting summaries! I am getting antsy because my bottom is soar from sitting... i don't spend alot of time sitting usualy, and my ears are actualy hurting from having ear buds in them... I need a break, this is it.. but i still need a break where I move around a bit.
The lectures are great and I will find a way to share the summaries about the theology of John Wesley because it is such a neat theology. Some info more than others is important and interesting, but I will put it up somehow, somewhere for those who would like to better understand sin, redemption, justification, salvation, faith, love, forgiveness, etc.. all those good things that make a theology substantial.

We desperatly want Corrina to do well, so we have spent alot of time collecting toys to use while playing which will give us lots of opportunity for language. Because we have many new (big and little) toys around I transformed my craft shelf to a toy self. I was sad to see everything go but have held the thought in my mind that someday soon Corrina and I will be able to do lots of crafts together, and talk!

This is becoming a big post because I keep adding to it. It is the night now, and I am working on our weekly menu, but i feel so bored with the food we normaly make. I am looking online at some menu planning sites. Menus 4 Moms is pretty neat and includes alot of information, but I was wondering what do you mom's out there use when you get bored? Is there a site? A book, and a plan! I would love to make your favorite meal in our home this week, if you let me know what it is... and if it's pretty easy and healthy. So I welcome ALL comments about food and menu planning...Do you rotate your menus? Do you have them organized on your compy (I am working towards this), or are you a random maker of meals? All in all, after looking at sites and such, i feel bored with our food and overwhelmed by the ideas out there. Help me.... (ps. i really hate cooking.. baking I love, salads I HATE, but love to eat!)
On that note I shall end this post, with no pictures.. hope you still read it!

Father's Day

Happy Hippy Toddler!

I am trying to get used to calling Corrina a toddler, because well, you should see her toddle (and throw tantrums!)

She is so stunningly beautiful (along with your child of course, if you have one that is!).

We had a busy week, as always, but tonight we have a BBQ with the other families at the CSHC (Central speech and hearing clinic.. the place we do all our therapy and audiology! amazing people). It will be great to meet the families and children!


Corrina got her first pair of sunglasses today! I will post pictures once i get some. Corrina and I went for a long walk this morning, hitting some of the downtown shops. We have a huge Bay store just up the road, and a mall at the end of the street, not to mention other unique downtown shops all over the place. Somehow I always forget about these places (most of them aren't the cheapest I guess) and drive over to suburban malls for little errands. But now that the weather is nice Corrina and I are walking around more.
This afternoon I am working on research regarding bilateral implants and other related things. We have alot of work to do to advocate for Corrina's needs. The clinic we use for therapy, for instance, is not fully government funded, while other AV programs in Canada do receive full funding. If we would have chosen ASL or Oral verbal therapy for Corrina the centers that carry out that type of therapy are fully funded. I think this is wrong and we are going to team up with other parents to bring the issue forward to the MB health minister! Fun times!
I started laundry just minutes ago at our laundry mat across the lane and I felt really bad because some of the bibs I put in the machines were moldy... I left Corrina's laundry really long this time because I just haven't had a chance to get across the way. Yuck. Hope they come out clean. Any suggestions for removing moldiness or mold stains from cloth? Hope I never have to ask for that advice again.

Phone Call From Far Away

So I got a phone call today that might shape the future of the Colvinson clan.

It was actually an appointment by phone with Scott from the Classical Animation dept at Vancouver Film School. VFS offers a 1 year intensive program in Classical Animation (think Flinstones/Simpsons, not 3D like Toy Story) including hands on training with instructors from within the industry and an emphasis on employment. More importantly, however, is the fact that it would mean drawing cartoons for a living. And not just drawing! Watching! I'd have to watch cartoons as part of my homework! Also a big plus is the 100% employability rate of graduates. That doesn't hurt!

So school is expensive and intensive, so it's not exactly something we as a family are quite up for just yet. This is definitely LOOOOONG term goal, not anything that's going to be happening in the next few years. But hey, it's a dream come true. I've wanted to be an animator ever since preschool (no joke). I love the idea of bringing characters and objects and stories to life. I love that you can get a pencil line to move and talk and make you smile and even cry. I love the fun of cartoons, the mystery behind it all, the breadth of the medium. And I just love to draw. I haven't done nearly enough in the last 5 years, preferring to explore other mediums, but I really do love to draw.

But it feels really risky, because you've gotta put yourself out there and put your work on display for everyone to see. Plus pursuing a dream is always risky, because what if it doesn't work out? What if you were wrong? But I know deep down that even that would be better than saying "if only" for the rest of my life.

And it's not that I don't like being a youth pastor anymore. I'm not going to stop ANY time soon. But somewhere on the horizon, some where out there beyond more kids and Janie's 2nd degree, is an opportunity that I for one am very excited about.

So I'm going to do it. Not any time soon, but I will. And I just wanted you all to know.
-DAve


PS> Mr. Anderson, does this finally get you off my back?
PPS> here's one of my favourite shorts from the VFS website. See more here.

Sing a song

***UPDATE**** I now have the video working properly. Watch and Enjoy!***Great pictures regarding Corrina's hearing at Hear we Go!**** Please check out both blogs. I will still post on this one, but more details regarding hearing will be posted at Hear we Go!



Corrina did well today at day care. She only takes the processor off when she hears very loud noises, like other children screaming, or her screaming! Ha ha

Tonight I put her to bed at 7pm because she didn't have a full nap at daycare. She fussed and eventually once she had calmed down I went to put blankets on her thinking she was asleep. Well, instead of snuggling down into her bed she was sitting in the corner sorta playing peak-a-boo with herself. Out she came... here is what we did while she had a little snack:
ps, this is only about our second time singing this song.. she caught on really quick.. she likes the 'evening' action (rocking your arms back and forth like you would with a baby) I think she likes this one because we have been learning to rock her baby doll! Ha ha
Enjoy!

If you did not see the post before the post before this post I have set up a hearing blog for Corrina to record what's happening and the milestones she is making! Feel free to add it as a link on any of your sites if you would like. Might be boring at times, but its all important to us!
www.hearwegocorrina.blogspot.com

Someone thinks this is a good idea

Janie says I never post on here any more. We'll, you can blame this on her then.

Dirty Dancing: The Video Game

I know I've never felt this way before.
-Dave

Another new blog

Not to distract your attention away from the wonderful post underneath this post regarding Corrina's activation, but I wanted to draw your attention to a NEW BLOG all about Corrina's hearing experience. Right now the blog summarizes our journey, including some interesting links (although I bet claire has seen them all!). In the future it will be the place I post new developments in Corrina's hearing and listening, at least in detail. So check it out from time to time!
Oh yeah, the link

Hear We Go
www.hearwegocorrina.blogspot.com

I will post some new photos tomorrow, or the next day. Tonight I am off to fold laundry with Dave! Yippy!

Corrina's hearing adventure begins

Greeting all, from our 100% hearing family! In the above picture Corrina is hooked up to the software on the computer while the audiologist sends impulses to the electrodes on her implant in order to find a comfortable setting for her brain (my description of this process is sorely lacking because I hardly understand the procedure myself). In the below picture Corrina is playing, and yes her processor is on, and she is listening (has been for awhile at this point)!


I am going to keep this short because I have some house work and preparation for tomorrow's day of hearing and play to get done, and my feet are aching from this long day (thus I probably won't be answering all the question you have; do leave a comment if you want to know something more specific).
In the below picture Corrina is "live" which means her microphone is turned on and she is hearing everyone!

Corrina's activation was mellow. We turned her on and she did not cry, she did not laugh. She sorta just stilled for a moment, moved her eyes around and then started waving at everyone in the room and continued with her play. It was odd indeed. We were expecting a much more observable difference between deaf and hearing, however all throughout the day Dave and I kept asking each other "She is hearing right, her processor is turned on, everything is in place and she hears us right??" A few times we saw her stop and sorta listen for a noise, but mostly she just played like she usually does and we jabbered in her ear more than we usually.
But, this is NORMAL. We have to keep telling ourselves that. It takes children a little time and lots of instruction to learn to look towards noises when they have been deaf. They do not retain the newborn instincts that cause them to startle at the sound of a loud noise. Corrina was a little more interested the phone because the buttons made noise, and once we saw her turned toward Dave when he started talking, but other than that we were doing a lot of directing. On Wednesday we will be in the sound booth with our audiologist to see her response to deliberate sounds. I think it is there that we will really see her respond because we remember her unresponsive behavior before. In the picture below you can see that we were sitting on the ground and playing while the electrode testing was taking place. Once we went "live" we put Corrina on Dave's lap so she could have comfort if needed!

Although the activation was mellow, we are glad about this because a calm, content transition means that Corrina is not having trouble integrating noise into her activity. She was very smiley and social during the entire morning as there were a number of friend we invited to participate! We are proud of who she is, the easy going spirit she has been given, and her love for life! (And we REALLY appreciate all our friends and extended family who showed up for this once-in-a-lifetime event!) She was super happy and excited to play. This kid loves her child sized tables (we are on the look out for one!) and couldn't wait to be unplugged from the computer so she could get to the table!

Tomorrow we are going to continue on. We'll keep you posted. Oh, and we all had cake together and I made lots of silly 'yummmmmm, mmmmm, good cake.. look fork' noises in her ear. She really just wanted to eat the cake! The staff at the clinic work hard to make the time a celebration, hence the cake!

Night Before

It's the night before Corrina's "activation", which, if you have been following our story, you will know this means Corrina's implant will be turned on tomorrow! We have had a good week, but a sick week. Corrina is getting over another bad ear infection, but is mostly back to herself now. My old fisher price kitchen arrived in the beginning of the week so Corrina has been playing with that, as well as the box it came in (thanks mom!). She has been learning to joys of coloring, eating crayons, and hiding crayons! She bumped her head this week which left a little lump that resembles the beginnings of a growing horn (picture a baby goat maybe....). She skinned her knee today at Church, which didn't bother her at all, but she's a little beaten up looking. All in all a busy week!
We are very excited to see how Corrina does with hearing! We will be off to bed early this night so that we have enough energy for the morning. I will do my best to post asap tomorrow! Please pray for us all tonight!


This is the way that we occupied ourselves for a little while yesterday!
One: pick crayon


Two: look inside to ensure proper placement
Three: poke through holeFour: check landing
Five: sure enough!!
Six: I'm bored, give me the camera