Can you hear me now?

Tim took Avery to her ENT appointment on Tuesday. She had a hearing test and failed yet again. They said she improved since the last time but it's not as good as they would like it. They said she can hear 50 decibels but they want her to be able to hear at 20-30 decibel level. Personally, I think she can hear fine. The doctor also said one of her ears might have fluid in it but not an infection and her other ear had a lot of wax in it, which I am still baffled why the doctor didn't bother cleaning it out. Tim asked what the recommendations were and of course they want her to have tubes. He said there are three options. 

1. Get tubes put in

2. Try hearing aids 

3. Do nothing and risk her speech being delayed even more

The doctor said he recommends tubes. We are to think about what we want to do and then we have a follow up scheduled at the end of March. Tim and I have discussed it and we both agree that we refuse to put Avery through getting tubes again. She had nothing but problems when they put them in last time. She was on 3 different rounds of antibiotics during that time and after a month of having the tubes in they finally decided they were doing more harm than good and took them out. We do not want to go through that ever again if we can help it. I think we are going to try the hearing aids. We don't really have anything to lose by trying them. It's not invasive and we should be able to get the hearing aids covered by BCMH, though I haven't looked into it yet. 

Those of you might remember my friend Amber, who has a 7 month old son named Elias who has biliary atresia. He was put on the organ donor recipient list about a month ago. His condition has worsened to the point that they couldn't wait any longer and her husband's cousin ended up donating a part of his liver. They did the transplant today so I have been thinking a lot about them. I would be a nervous wreck if my baby was going through that. She is always very upbeat and optimistic and is an inspiration for us. If the worst thing that is wrong with Avery is that she has a little hearing loss, I would feel very lucky. Tim and I aren't religious but we feel we are very blessed. We know Avery could be/could have been in a lot worse shape than she is today. If you have a minute, please say a little prayer for Amber's family. I can't even begin to imagine what it is like to go through that. 

Avery's first word is mama. We are pretty sure she knows that mama means me. Sometimes she says mama and sometimes she says mamamama. So that's what makes me second guess if she knows what it means. I swear I have heard her say "up" and "hi" once as well. I can't wait until she really starts talking. 

Mommy! daddy! I'm ready to go outside!

Mommy put my hair in something called a pony tail. It doesn't look like a pony's tail to me but oh well. I like it because it keeps the hair out of my eyes. 

I still get my vitamins through my gtube (this is actually my old gtube). I don't have to get them through the gtube but it's easier for mommy and daddy to do it that way. Plus it saves me from having that yucky taste in my mouth.

Me and my buddy. Mommy gave him a kiss today and then I copied her and gave him a kiss too!

My favorite thing to do now is wave to to the dogs when they are outside. Sorry the picture is a little dark 

Look, I actually have grown in the past 18 months. That is a quarter in the picture so you can get a perspective of the size of my hands and feet 

Daddy is reading me a story

I actually got to go to the store with Mommy today! I tried talking to the lady at the pharmacy. Mommy put me to work and had me hold the cat food. 

I was playing in my car today. It's hard to see in the picture but I have a bunch of drool. I have to wear bibs all the time now.