A Little Creativity

We ordered Tessa's first two headbands (a light pink and white) from a precious grandmother of a child with hearing loss that makes these fabulous headbands to hold the cochlear implant processors. We ordered extra smalls and after using them for the last couple of weeks, they have started stretching out and are a little too loose on Tessa's head....she is a tiny little thing with a smaller than XS head! So, I got a little inventive last weekend and tried to see if I could find some smaller headbands and attempt some on my own. I am happy to say I was slightly successful!

The combination of some Goody Ouchless Gentle Headwraps, cut-up Goody Slide-Proof Headbands and a needle and thread...and here's what I came up with:

Cutting up the slide-proof headbands to use as the holders for the processor is working out so well. Once we slide the CI in there...it stays put, which has saved us lots of attaching and re-attaching! We still have of enough attaching and re-attaching that we have to do with her magnet, so this gives us one less thing to worry about. Plus, if the magnet comes off, there's not as big of a chance of us loosing the whole processor since it stays snug and tight on the headband!

This yellow one is the first one I attempted...in this pic we left the plastic ear hook on the top of the processor

I made the white one next, and Darin realized we could take the plastic ear hook off. I'm not skilled enough to make an elastic holder for it at this point. But really, she doesn't need the ear hook until she is actually wearing the processor on her own ear...which won't be for a long time!

And well, bows and flowers are always a necessity, right! :)

I will say, after a week, we are running into the same 'stretching out' problem that we had with her original headbands. So my next mission will be to find some really good headbands that will be really comfortable for Tessa, fit her good, and Not Stretch Out so much. Once I find some, I think I have a pretty good method of stitching on the slide-proof piece to hold the processor.

It's all a learning process for sure! Luckily I've been able to have a little fun with it.

My next mission is to sew some ruffles either on some of Tessa's socks or on some velcro pieces to use on her DAFOS. Might as well accessorize where we can! No telling when I'll get around to that though, but I think it will be fun.

~Whitney

Love Her!

~Whitney

Excited

We feel so lucky to be able to begin Tessa's journey of hearing! The last 14 months without, left us adapting and making the best of they ways we did have to communicate with her. Now we are excited and it's kinda funny how it's almost taking us looking back at old videos of how we were with Parker to kinda figure out how to pick up and run with all of these new opportunities with Tessa!

We're definitely not worried though...Tessa has been doing an incredible job of reminding us again and again that she is ready and excited about communicating too! She spent some time this afternoon in her highchair while Darin played the Wii and I worked on a few blog posts. We literally could not hush her up...she just laughed and laughed and laughed. There was a lot of laughing at her silly Daddy, but then it was as if she was laughing at hearing herself laugh. It was nothing like we've ever seen or heard her do before! We have a feeling we'll be saying that quite a bit! I wish I could have gotten video of it, but the camera is just too distracting...and I just couldn't pass up the chance to just keep watching and listening to her have so much fun!

It is amazing to watch her take such delight in this new gift she's been given!

It's been a lot of fun looking back through old pictures and videos of Parker. Our world is changing so much with Tessa and her CI and we are beginning to look at things in a whole new way. We've been watching videos of Parker when he was around 13-14 months old and it is making us really excited about what all we can start doing with Tessa now that she is hearing. We've always loved this silly video of me singing "This Little Light of Mine" to Parker in the bathtub. It is just great to know that we can begin to create these same kinds of memories with Tessa now!

~Whitney

Sweet Comparison 1

I just love looking back at old pictures. I think these are too cute! It's funny because they were both taken in Kansas during visits to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Tessa 12/23/2010 at almost 9 months old:

Parker 6/20/2008 at almost 5 months old:

Needless to say, these two are the most precious gifts in my life!

~Whitney

Sweet Comparison 2

After I took this picture of Tessa, I told Darin I thought it looked a lot like one I could remember of Parker when he was little. I just found his picture...too cute!

Tessa 5/28/2011 at almost 14 months old -

Parker 8/29/2008 at 7 months old -

~Whitney

Sweet Comparison 3

Tessa 6/29/2011 at almost 15 months old:

Parker 2/17/2009 at almost 13 months old:

~Whitney

Worship

Darin and I have been praying for years now to find a church home...a place to raise our kids and find friends and fellowship. God has been faithful once again in our lives and it is a blessing to look forward to Sunday mornings. Council Road Baptist has become our home. We have been visiting for a couple of months now and plan to join sometime in August. They have amazing teachers responsible for the "Bible Buddies" special needs nursery room and have embraced Tessa and our family with such love. Parker is enjoying his nursery classroom too and it has been so wonderful for Darin and I to attend a Sunday school class and church together.

Today was the second Sunday that I was able to hold and sing to my daughter. Since her CI activation, I sneak her away from the nursery for time with her during worship. I love to worship, I love to sing...it has been a gift to be able to now hold my daughter close and watch a peace come over her, as it does me, as I sing to her and to our Heavenly Father. My heart of worship looks more different now than it ever has before. I sing with a thankful heart for all the things the Lord has done for us, I sing with a prayerful spirit that Tessa knows how much the Lord loves her and what an amazing purpose He has for her life. I sing now to share with Tessa my heart of worship...thankfulness, peace and joy.

This morning was a little different because both Bible Buddies teachers were out of town for the holiday weekend...so Miss Tessa joined Darin and I in Sunday school and for church. The gentleman that teaches our class (we are still learning lots of names...and right now, his has escaped me) has had wonderful things to share and has such a tender heart. This morning he greeted me, Darin and Tessa and we were able to have a conversation about Tessa's special needs before class. Then, it was such a surprise at the end of the sermon, during the invitation time, for him to come find us and ask if he could pray with me, Darin and Tessa. The prayer he prayed was divine. He asked the Lord to fulfill the powerful purpose He has for Tessa, he asked the Lord to prepare those that will be impacted by Tessa, he thanked the Lord for making Tessa exactly who she is, because He makes no mistakes. He prayed for the Lord to continue guiding and directing Darin and I and all those that are in her life and he prayed that they, as a church family, would know how to love and support us.

Things have been rough lately with all the changes for the BynumFour. Darin and I have such a longing for new friendships and fellowship...and it is a desire that seems to have come at a time when it seems most difficult to achieve such things. The gentleman that prayed for us today, is nothing short of a tremendous blessing. He touched us with his words and his tenderness and allowed me, as Tessa's mommy, a moment to have some very healing tears.

Worship today was everything I believe God intends for it to be for us when we choose to worship Him. As parents, we want our children to grow and understand the love and purpose God has for them. The combination today of my daughter being able to hear and share in my worship and the blessing God gave us through the tenderness of a gentleman and his prayer...those are the things that give hope and meaning to our journey.

~Whitney