New Tricks

Tessa eating a mum-mum. She gets a little choked at the very end, but Darin said the minute he turned the camera off she was fine...so no worries :)

Darin is so inventive! He made Tessa a new toy. It's a box with grooves in the sides all the way around it where he can put her rings. She has lots of fun getting ahold of the rings and putting them in her mouth...oh the feeling of accomplishment! (both by her and Daddy I think ;)

It's fun to try new ways to get Tessa to work on her head control. She responds so much better now that she has access to sound!! We couldn't hardly believe in this video how she starts moving her legs. It is literally the first time we've ever seen her make this kind of movement...and we captured it on video...fabulous!

We had Tessa's 3 month follow up with her physiatrist on Friday and he taught us a new way to hold her to get in some really good hamstring stretches. The biggest concerns for Tessa right now are the tightness in her hamstrings and how her hips are forming. They took hip x-rays, but we're waiting to find out what they show and if there are any big concerns at this point. The doctor said he had a dad make a lot of great progress using this particular over-the-shoulder hold with his child with CP. She'll only tolerate it in small doses at this point...but it's kinda fun and we'll work her up. The goal will be to make this our routine for carrying her from one room to the next throughout the day. Everything we do regarding Tessa's CP is all in an effort to prevent anything else from happening with the tightening of her muscles. Like I said before though, now that she is hearing us...it's so much easier to try and encourage her and talk her through what we are doing. We know she can't understand us at this point, but she can at least hear us and know that we are right there cheering her on!

~Whitney

Misc from this Week

Getting ready for a booth test...she looks so big on Daddy's lap!

Third mapping appointment, right ear infection and all...and handled it like a champ!

Smiles after some tummy playtime with Mommy

This video is unique. We all know Tessa despises tummy time. Well, before when we would try and help her roll over, it was quite a challenge to keep her motivated to hold her head up and work for a little bit when all we really had to motivate her with were our 'spirit fingers'. It's completely different now that she can hear us. She is more interested in finding our voices and a little less worried about the fact that we are making her work ;) Clever, clever CI!!

I will apologize in advance for how loud I get on the video....I have a feeling it's only going to get worse! :/ I have a little girl to keep motivated my friends....I do what I must! ;)

~Whitney

Quick Update

I know I've posted some pretty cute pictures of Tessa since activation, but the last several days have been a mixture of highs and lows. Tessa has had a couple of rough days and we realized yesterday that she has a right ear infection. This definitely complicates her level of tolerance with her CI.

We have her 3rd mapping appointment tomorrow at 3:00 at Hearts for Hearing. We are praying that she doesn't get too overwhelmed or deal with too much discomfort during that process. Then at 4:30 we will go see her ENT for a surgery follow up and for him to check the infection in her right ear.

It has been really hard to watch her struggle with such discomfort. There have been moments that we have been at a loss on how to help her and dry her tears :(

Things will level out, we know they will, but it just breaks my heart to watch her be in such distress and not know exactly how to help.

~Whitney

Fun Since Activation

Tessa and Parker just hanging out

My pretty girl!

First pool trip of the summer!

Getting ready to watch some fireworks!

Hearing is hard work...!

Having fun listening to Mommy

Can't get enough of these smiles!

Can't get enough of these sweet giggles either...

~Whitney

Sweet Changes

Life is definitely changing!

Here's a little recap of some of the sweet moments we've had with Tessa since activation:

~ She smiles more than she did before...I know, right...didn't think that was possible ;)

~ She makes the sweetest noises riding in her car seat (before, she was our 'quiet passenger')

~ She ooo's and coo's on our stroller walks in the evenings

~ She looked up to find me when I said to her "Tessa, Mommy is pushing your stroller"

~ She makes her 'serious face' when she's listening (before, her serious face was reserved for concentration on physical movement)

~ She joined in a 'yelling match' over dinner one night with all her little cousins (she will not be out-shined ;)

~ She is constantly looking around...as if she is trying to put what she's hearing, together with what she sees

~ She engages with Mommy, Daddy and Parker without the constant use of our 'spirit fingers' to keep her attention

~She seems to pay attention to the dogs' barking in the evenings while we're outside playing


We left Tessa's second activation appointment on Thursday with 4 programs for her CI processor. Each program gives her a little more access to sound and has volume control of 1 to 10. We made it through the first program at volume 10 beautifully and transitioned to program 2 for the last couple of days. There have been moments of stress and frustration mixed in with all the sweet and wonderful changes. Tessa has had a little more trouble adjusting to the second program, but we have still been able to keep it between volume 8 and 10. We are hoping that tomorrow she will have adjusted a little better and we can attempt to introduce her to program 3.


It's just another period of time of what we call the "guessing game". Sometimes it is very difficult to know exactly what is causing her distress...but we are doing our best. On top of all of this, she's got a couple of molars coming in too. It's a balancing act for sure...and we are learning just as she is...we want to always know how to help her and keep her motivated. This cochlear implant thing is a whole new world for us. It is incredible that it has opened up a whole new world for her, but it will not be a journey without it's ups and downs.


We are of course overwhelmed, but are delighting in the many moments of celebration along the way! Darin and I just got done talking tonight about how good it is to know that God is in control...because this is beyond anything we are capable of doing or handling on our own.


Tessa is the hardest little worker I know...if she's putting in the time....Mommy, Daddy and Parker are putting it in too, right there with her!


~Whitney

Moments from Activation Day 2

A Big Thank You

To all of you that joined us for such an incredible time in Tessa's life:

Grandpa and Grandma Bynum

Grandpa and Grandma Mason

Grammie and Dennis

Aunt Hillarie, Uncle Donald, Cousin Mason, Cousin Haden & Cousin Rylan

Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Kyle, Cousin Keaton and Cousin Kelbie

Aunt Lacy and Cousin Emmy

Uncle Tim and Aunt Christy

Ms Victoria (our Nanny)

Ms Melody (PT)

and of course Ms Kimi (audiologist) and Ms Tami (therapist) at Hearts for Hearing

...for helping make Tessa's activation celebration, just that...a celebration! We can't thank you enough for being there for support and encouragement and to share in a very special time in our lives!

We love each of you and feel so grateful to have you in our lives...we couldn't do this without you!

~Whitney