Ava's going to be on the news!!!!

This little monkey is going to be on the local evening news - want an autograph? We were approached by our cochlear implant program and asked if we would agree to be interviewed on a newscast about the importance of early detection of hearing loss. Me, be on tv? Damn right I will! We headed down to Sick Kids hospital so that Ava could be filmed having a mapping done. The following day, the news team came to OUR HOUSE and did some more filming of me working with Ava and then a one on one sit down interview. How cool was that!! The clip will be aired on Wednesday, July 1st (Canada Day) during the 6 o'clock news on Global Toronto. It will be aired across the country. However, for our American friends, you can catch the clip after 8pm (EST) on July 1st on Global's website here. Look on the side menu for "Family Health" with Beatrice Politi. The clip should remain on their website for a few weeks.

Ava's 1st birthday is on Tuesday. Words cannot describe just how special and important this occasion will be for our family. Ava is our miracle baby in so many ways and not just through the miracle of her cochlear implants.

Ava is babbling!

Last Thursday - June 11th (6 weeks post activation) Ava decided that she would start babbling. YEA AVA! She's giving me mamamamama and rarararara. She is well on her way to acquiring speech. I have been waiting for this day and it came! I am so THRILLED!

Finally, some videos - Six weeks post activation!!!

I am finally posting some videos of Ava showing her progress with her CI's.

In this video, Ava demonstrates the "ahhhhh" sound while eating (as in using the spoon as an airplane) and her approximation of "all done"


In the next video, Ava is responding to "where's the light" by first looking up at it and then by pointing to it. This video clearly demonstrates the "power of the pause" meaning give your child a chance to respond by allowing ample time to process a question and to formulate a response.


Ava has figured out how to use her little pointer finger. I love it!

Other things.......She can imitate a growl sound for the lion.
She can differentiate between where's daddy, where's mommy and where's Lauren by looking at the right people.
She will point to the eyes on a doll when asked "where's the eyes?"

Stay tuned for more videos....... :-)