In Memory of Rover!

Last night we are eating out (once again) at our favorite mexican restaraunt, Costa Azul. Now I am convinced that not only are the portions there muy grande and the price is muy poco, that it is the most entertaining restaraunt I've ever eaten at on a regular basis. When we were there a few months ago, I overheard a conversation between to people who were meeting for the first time after speaking for months on the internet. (See blog "How do you Catch a Moron" in Archives. 8/17/06)

When we were there a week ago, a fight ensued and we really thought the Mex's were going to start brandishing Colt .45's and such. The waitresses spewed out some Spanish threats and the police were dispatched and the drunken fighters were escorted out by their not-as-drunk counterparts and the police. FUN! I'd LOVE to know what that tiny waitress was yelling at him. All 4 foot 10 of her, finger waving in his face!

So last night...we're enjoying our meal. The girls are a little rowdy, and we weren't sitting at our usual table. New waitress. It's okay, she didn't know. She sat us next to the jukebox which is a NO NO! But it was either allow the jukebox to blare in our ears, or risk sitting on the side with the bar, which isn't the smartest thing to do with small children at a Mexican Establishment. So jukebox it was!

The people sitting behind us were having quite the conversation. Apparently a sister and brother (in their late teens/early 20's) were having a dinner night out with Good Ol' Dad for the holidays. The Dad was working on his 2nd Margarita when we arrived. (They make some STROONG Margarita's!) So I'm thinking he's a little lushy. Some regular family talk ensued and then some bantering began with a remark about how the Dad killed the brother's dog last year when he kicked the dog and 2 days later the dog up and died.

Wow. Anger Management anyone?

This is the conversation:

Dad: "I never kicked the damn dog! I went like this...!" (He's showing them in actions how he approached the dog while sitting in his booth, his back banging up against MY back as he's getting heated and angry) "I did exactly like this! I wasn't going to touch him with my hands, only my foot! He'd already bitten others, I wasn't going to let him bite me!"
Son: "Ohhh...so that's why you killed him?" (Bantering tone)
Dad: "I didn't kill the damn dog! It was YOUR dog! I've had 3 dogs of my own and YOUR dog is the one that has bitten 3 of my kids! My dogs never did! You weren't even THERE what the hell do you know about how I did or didn't do or if I did or didn't kill him?!"
Son: "Ohhh...so that's why you killed him!" (Sarcasm dripping tone)
Dad: (looking at daughter) "You were there! You saw me only kick towards him, nudge him. I didn't kick him!"
Daughter: "I don't know...it was last year..." (Mumbling)
Dad, exasperatingly: "Yeah, it was last year!" (Slams himself back against MY back.) "It's the fucking holidays and I don't understand why the one time I take you guys out to have a nice holiday night out, you two jump on me about the damn dog. I didn't kick it, I didn't kill it! You've ruined my appetite and I'm ready to go!" He slams himself back AGAIN then gets out of the booth.
Son: "Dad, you didn't even eat it all."
Dad, yelling as he's walking down the aisle. "It's okay I'm paying for it anyway!"
Daughter: "I saw him kick that dog. I was there, you weren't. I was. He kicked the dog." (Low whisper.)
Son: "I know he did, just like Dad. I know he killed that dog."
Dad: "Since I paid for this stinkin' uneaten meal, you can get the tip." He grabs his things and stomps outside.

Wow. Mature!

Needless to say, the kids didn't leave a tip to my knowledge. Apparently Dad has some hang-ups about killing this dog ALLEGEDLY.

And we were just laughing because of the comical aspect of this Family night out. IF that's the worst of their problems, they're doing pretty good!

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF ROVER!!!

Christmas...

Christmas was wonderful. Wonderful gifts, wonderful kids >cough< >cough<. The girls enjoyed it wayyyy too much. But that's the Reason for Giving. Part of it anyway. Thought I'd share some pics with those of you who love to blog and pic too!!! lol

Our Beautiful Tree

No other place to be...but my buddy and me!


All she wanted was a computer....


Proof that Daddy's DO play with dolls!


Girls playing with my Dad.

Uber excited about getting a digital! First pic took on it!!!

Olivia excited about...well...everything!

Princess Natalie.



HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

A Sound Decision

A conversation with a close friend of mine got me thinking today. So now, I want to blog about it since we have all this extra time to blog in this wonderful snow-in.

My decision for Olivia to have a cochlear implant was so that she could hear and have speech. So she could communicate with the hearing world. So she could have more chances in life and have the ability to exceed in anything she wanted to as she grows up.

When people ask me about Olivia's therapy, I am all too excited to respond. I believe 100% in Audio-Verbal Therapy (AVT). It has not only worked for Olivia, but the children that I come in contact with on a daily basis and Olivia's younger sister, Natalie, benefits from it as well. Olivia's therapy requires speech. No sign language. Repetition, not gestures. It has been 3 years since Olivia was implanted and AVT has been working quite well for her. She is mainstreaming in the public school system and speaks and listens and understands very well. AVT doesn't use sign because of the possibility of crutch-factor. That was my decision and I stand by it.

Some people don't see it that way. I have been railroaded by people who think that decisions I make for my daughter (which have NO effect on anyone not involved) are wrong and abusive. I have been told that by taking sign away from my daughter (she signed until her implant in September of 2003), I was taking away her culture, her heritage, her birth-right, her language. Everyone just assumed I was taking the selfish and easy way out: having Olivia do all the work so I wouldn't have to. No one ever asked me "Do you have plans for her to learn sign in the future?" No one ever asked me "Will she only use the implant, or will she learn to sign too?"

My plans for Olivia are my business. No one else's. But my plan has NEVER been for Olivia to only be able to communicate in the hearing, speaking world her entire life. I want her to have many chances at normalcy and many chances to succeed as an adult. When Olivia is ready, she will learn ASL (American Sign Language) but only when she, myself, and her therapist see that she is ready to take that step, make that transition, to handle both spoken and unspoken language. Bilingual is a MUST here in America. Maybe Olivia will learn Spanish, too. She will learn SO MUCH in the next 10 years, the possibilities are ENDLESS for her now!

People say that it is "sad" or a "shame" when I tell them Olivia doesn't sign and that is not part of her therapy. Well I think it is sad and it is a shame that people draw conclusions and make accusations about my decisions for my daughter without hearing all the facts.

Do you not think I wouldn't research all types of hearing devices and therapy before I chose what I did? Do you not think I wouldn't weigh all of my options before making what I believe was a well thought out SOUND DECISION?

I have seen and observed children who do Total Communication with their implants. Those children are not speaking well at all. They were implanted way before Olivia was, and she surpasses most of them in her speech and understanding abilities.

My goal is for Olivia to speak and hear and have the ability and chances that normal hearing persons have. I have met that goal, and I will continue to help perfect it.

If that makes me an abuser, then someone needs to go back to Webster's Dictionary and look that word up again.

A Topic of Interest

To the left is a photo of Bryton McClure from the daytime Soap Opera, The Young and the Restless. McClure plays a troubled teenager who's been in and out of foster homes on the Soap, and has recently received the aid of a Cochlear Implant. Here are a few articles about this topic for those who are interested. As most of you know, my own daughter received a cochlear implant in September of 2003 and is doing marvelously with it.

CBS.COM:
Hearing Impaired (October 2006)

It has never been an easy life for Devon Hamilton, and it just got a little harder. After contracting Meningitis Devon suffered a huge loss -- his hearing. CBS.com gave his portrayer Bryton a call to chat all about this new challenge for him and for Devon. (Bryton is the link to the article)


AUDIOLOGY ONLINE:
The Young and the Restless (October 2006)

"The Young and the Restless" character Devon Hamilton will soon hear the world in a whole new way. Today, Devon received a cochlear implant, an implanted medical device that will functionally restore his hearing. Tune in as Devon comes out of surgery and his cochlear implant is activated – bringing the harmonious sounds of life back to his ears, and turning silence into renewed hope for the college music student...Devon McClure

And the beat goes on...

Na na na na na....na na na na

My beautiful baby turned 3 years old today. I can't believe it has really been that long and that I actually survived through the things I have in the past 3-4 years.

Natalie is so funny and smart. She completely shocks me at some times and at others, I''m just laughing and laughing.

I'm glad she's 3. But sometimes I miss her being a baby.