I like being up there

This week has gone by and I feel so tired after it. I guess it's been a combination of things but I'm glad we are in the middle of the weekend. I have been working hard around my home to try to make things better for both Luca and myself. I decided to make more crafts with Luca, but for that I had to accommodate a table for us to work on, in the living room. This table was bought by my husband because he was looking for a coffee table that we could both eat on. Just like we did in Japan, that we were always sitting on the floors and eating in low tables. I was worried that it was going to get damaged by our crafts so I made a tablecloth that could resist water, paint and a child on top...it matches his apron.

Esta semana ha pasado y me siento tan cansada despues de ella. Creo que ha sido una combinacion de cosas pero estoy contenta de estar a mitad del fin de semana. He estado trabajando por mi casas para intentar hacer las cosas mejor para los dos, Luca y yo. Decidi hacer mas manualidades con Luca, pero para eso tenia que poner una mesa donde pudieramos trabajar, en la salita de estar. Esta mesa la compro mi marido porque estaba buscando una mesita de cafe en la que pudieramos comer los dos. Justo como haciamos en Japon, que siempre nos sentabamos en el suelo y comiamos en mesas bajas. Me preocupaba de que se fuera a estropear con nuestros trabajos asi que le hice un mantel que fuera resistente al agua, a las pinturas y a un ninho encima....pega con su delantal.

Here is one of our creations, made with a shampoo bottle:

Aqui va una de nuestras creaciones, hecha con un bote de champu:

Always thinking of him

Today is a very sad day for me, for my family and for many of my friends. It's been two years since he passed away and many good and sad memories come back to all of us. I really have no strength today to make a beautiful post to remember him today, my heart is broken and I guess I need some time to grief. My friend Gisele made two beautiful posts about him though. This one and this one. We will always remember him and we will always feel the emptiness of his absence.

Hoy es un dia muy triste para mi, para mi familia y para muchos de nuestros amigos. Han pasado dos anhos desde que murio y muchos recuerdos bonitos y tristes vuelven a nosotros. La verdad es que no tengo fuerzas de escribir un post bonito para recordarle, tengo el corazon roto y creo que necesito un tiempo de duelo. Mi amiga Gisele puso dos posts muy bonitos sobre el. Este y este. Siempre le recordaremos y siempre sentiremos este vacio por su ausencia.

Smock and more

I have been reorganizing some corners of my house that I didn't want to deal with for years now. I am trying to make it more practical so I feel more like doing things because it is easy and simple to get to y stuff. I have created a drawer with all my paper crafts and since then not only I'm doing more of that, I am also encouraged to do other stuff that has been hanging in my head for way too long now.
I bought a fabric that is really meant to be a table cloth with cars to make a smock for Luca. I finally got my act together and made it, and since I prepared a table with paints and some crafty activities he agreed to use it. I think he remembers he does the same thing at school so he felt comfortable with it. I think he looks cute.

He estado reorganizando algunos rincones de mi casa con los que he evitado lidiar desde hace anhos. Estoy tratando de hacerlo mas practico para que me apetezca mas hacer cosas porque es facil y simple acceder a ellas. He puesto un cajon con los materiales para hacer cosas con papel y desde entonces no solo estoy haciendo mas manualidades de papel, sino que ademas me he animado a crear mas cosas que he tenido en mi cabeza desde hace demasiado tiempo.
Compre una tela que realmente era para mantel con cohes para hacerle un delantal a Luca. Por fin me he organizado y se lo he hecho, y como puse una mesa con manualidades y pintura accedio a ponerselo. Creo que en el cole hacen lo mismo y se sintio a gusto poniendoselo. Esta muy mono.

And today we went shopping after two days in the house because of the tropical storm FAY. It wasn't a big deal after all but we needed to stay at home, and as you can imagine with a toddler it's not easy. I decided to take pictures of him at the supermarket so I can make him another book about going grocery shopping and teach him some new words. When I was half way through the store taking pictures, three men came to me and told me that it is not allowed to take pictures at the store. Bummer. I was so disappointed. You know, that feeling of having done something "wrong" and at the same time frustrated because I was trying to do something good for Luca and harmless for anyone else. So after that, a man from the store came and gave a balloon to Luca. That was nice but he shouldn't play with balloons because of the static electricity, it could erase his implant program. It's not a big deal, I don't think it would really happen but it was making me nervous, and I was a bit angry, and when I was trying to drive with that balloon all over the car, I got so mad that I ended up popping it. I feel so bad that I end up damping my anger towards Luca, the poor thing had a string in his wrist with no balloon, not that he cared much, but I felt bad. I guess sometimes is hard being a single mom, but that's what it is and we will deal with it the best way we can.

Y hoy fuimos de compras despues de dos dias enclaustrados en casa por la tormenta tropical FAY. No fue para tanto pero teniamos que quedarnos en casa, y como os podeis imaginar con un ninho de 2 anhos no es facil. Decidi hacer fotos de el en el supermercado para hacerle otro libro sobre ir de compras y ensenharle mas palabras nuevas. Cuando estaba a medio camino en el super haciendo fotos, tres hombres se me acercaron y me dijeron que no esta permitido tomar fotos en la tienda. Vaya. Estaba tan desanimada. Sabes, ese sentimiento de haber hecho algo "malo" y a la vez frustracion porque estaba intentando hacer algo bueno para Luca y que no hace danho a nadie mas. Asi que despues, un senhor de la tienda se acerco y le dio un globo a Luca. Fue amable pero Luca no deberia jugar con globos por la electricidad estatica puyes podria borrar su programa del implante. No es muy importante, no creo que ocurriese en realidad, pero me estaba poniendo nerviosa, y ya estaba un poco enfadada, asi que cuando intente conducir con el globo por en medio, me enfade tanto que lo explote. Me siento mal porque acabo mandando mi rabia hacia Luca, el pobre tenia un hilo en su munheca sin globo, no es que le importara mucho, pero me senti muy mal. Creo que a veces es dificil ser madre sola, pero eso es lo que hay y tendremos que afrontarlo de la mejor manera posible.

Experience books

When we were in California we learned a lot of things. One of them is about how to read books to children with hearing loss. Not only that, how to make books! Yes, they told us a way to make it more interesting for children to learn something new. We could also teach them about situations or things that will happen in the future, like visits to the doctor or traveling on the plane. Luca has traveled so much that when I tell him we are going on a plane he understands what is involved in that, but other situations are harder for me to explain to him with his limited vocabulary understanding and limited sign language.

Cuando estuvimos en California aprendimos muchas cosas. Una de ellas es sobre como leer libros a ninhos con perdida de oido. No solo eso, como hacer libros! Si, nos ensenharon la manera de hacer mas interesnte para los ninhos el aprender algo nuevo. Tambien les podemos ensenhar sobre situaciones que van a ocurrir en un futuro, como visitas al medico o viajes en avion. Luca ha viajado tanto que cuando le digo que vamos a ir en avion entiende lo que eso conlleva, pero otras situaciones me son mas dificiles de explicar con su vocabulario tan limitado y con sus pocas senhas.

When we got back to his school in Jacksonville this summer they also wanted to create experience books so that got me going on to starting my first book. I wanted to teach him about feelings. This is how it came out. The words I wrote are learning to listen sounds that he uses in therapy.

Cuando volvimos al colegio de Jacksonville este verano tambien querian hacer libros de experiencias y eso me hizo empezar con mi primer libro. Queria ensenharle sobre los sentimientos. Y asi me salio. Las palabras que escribi son sonidos para aprender a escuchar que usa en la terapia.

Vacation in the Carolinas

This our last night of our trip up in SC, NC and Tennessee. We had a wonderful time and specially relaxing time for me, not for anybody else who were truly authentic entertainers.

Hoy es la ultima noche de nuestro viaje a Carolina del Sur, Norte y Tennessee. Lo hemos pasado en grande y yo sobretodo me he podido relajar, nadie mas porque todos los demas fueron los grandes animadores.

On top of that, I got to spend a day with my family and my good friend Gisele, who came to North Carolina and met with us along with her son and we were able to enjoy a beautiful place. We both enjoy sewing and gardening (she does more and better that one than me) and this is what we found, a quilt of flowers. Beautiful right?

Ademas de todo, pasamos un dia con mi familia y mi buena amiga Gisele, la que vino con su hijo a Carolina del Norte a disfrutar de este lugar tan bonito. Las dos disfrutamos de la costura y de la jarineria (ella mas y mejor que yo lo del jardin) y esto es lo que encontramos, una quilt de flores. Que bonita no?

And of course there was a real one too. I love spending time with her, it just flies. Thanks Gisele for welcoming to your home, I love it!

Y por supuesto habia una quilt de verdad. Me encanta visitar a Gisele, el tiempo vuela. Gracias Gisele por acojerme siempre en tu casa, me encanta!

And the rest of the week, well it was very fun, specially for the little guy who had first attention from his grandaddy, his granny and his aunt. He did so many things that he didn't have time to mess with anything he wasn't supposed to. He was entertained and he was an entertainer. We will sure miss this part of the family, although not for long because soon they will come to FL to accompany us during the surgery.

Y el resto de la semana, fue muy divertida, sobretodo para el pequenhin que tenia toda la atencion de su abuelo, su abuela y su tia. Hizo tantas cosas que no tuvo tiempo ni de tocar cosas que no debia. Estuvo entretenido y fue el que entretuvo al resto. Echaremos de menos a esta parte de la familia, pero no por mucho tiempo porque pronto estaran en Florida para acompanharnos durante la operacion.

Spiderman will be bilateral soon

My little spiderman has a surgery date already! Hurray! In just a month we will be going through some stress and then he will be hearing in stereo soon. The date will be September 9th and I feel really nervous about it and at the same time excited and happy that is happening so soon.

Mi pequenho hombre aranha tiene fecha de operacion! Hurra! En solo un mes mas pasaremos por un poco de estres y el empezara a oir en estereo pronto. La fecha sera el 9 de Septiembre y me siento muy nerviosa y a la vez emocionada y feliz de que este ocurriendo tan pronto.

In the meantime, we have been busy painting....
Mientras tanto hemos estado ocupados pintando..

And we are leaving today for a few days visiting family. It looks like we are always moving around!
We will be back soon!

Y hoy nos vamos por unos dias a visitar mas familia. PArece que siempre estamos de aqui para alla!
Volveremos pronto!

All the creativity is on Luca's head

That's right, all the creativity is on Luca's head, a haircut that makes him look like an older kiddo and a new flower/Indian/whatever hat that we made together. In the meantime, I am putting some order around my home, opening some spaces for future creativity and not in his head. But in a few days we will be traveling again, so it might have to way a couple of more weeks for that to happen.

Es verdad, toda la creatividad esta en la cabeza de Luca, un corte de pelo que le hace mas mayor y un gorro nuevo de flor/indio/o lo que sea que hemos hecho juntos. Mientras tanto, voy a poner orden en esta casa, estoy limpiando algunos rincones para que haya creatividad en el futuro y que no este en su cabeza. Pero en pocos dias volvemos a salir de viaje, asi que la creatividad tendra que esperar un par de semanas mas.

Spider

I never thought that I would be so attracted to a creature like this, my new (and only) pet. It's a spider that lives outside my home, it has some interesting shape and bright red color mixed with white and black, I think. It is against the light so I can't see it well but it really amuses me. I look at it every day. I have seen it make a spider web, it reminds me of me sewing, and I guess that is why I'm so mesmerized by it. I've also seen it hunting a few bugs, it's like an acrobat in a circus, and I've seen it repair its web and make a new one all over again. Maybe the biologist in me does have a bit of affection for the animal world and not just plants!

Nunca pense que me atraeria tanto una criatura como esta, mi nueva (y unica) mascota. Es una aranha que vive fuera de mi casa, tiene una forma interesante y es rojo brillante con blanco y negro, creo. Esta a contra luz asi que no la veo bien pero me llama mucho la atencion. La miro todos los dias. La he visto tejer su tela de aranha, me recuerda a mi cosiendo, y cero que por eso me tiene tan ensimismada. Tambien la he visto cazando bichos, es como un acrobata en un circo, y tambien la vi arreglando su tela y haciendo una nueva de nuevo. Quizas la biologa que hay en mi tiene un poco de carinho por el mundo animal y no solo por las plantas!

Love and motivation

It looks like we are making a great progress. Luca has been really improving so much in the past weeks that it is really unbelievable that he has just been 4 months with the implant on. According to a test that was done a few days ago he would be 17 months delay in receptive language, that means what he understands, and only 1 year delay in expressive language, what he can say. That is really great. All of a sudden I can see how much more he attends to people, to his name, and tries to repeat whatever you are trying to tell him. And all this I think has been because of our trip to LA and also because he has been very much motivated by our family visiting, specially by his cousins. The amazing thing is that they don't even speak the language we are using at home, they all speak in Spanish with each other but that didn't matter. As they told us, this is still input. He is a bright little boy and he is ready to bring the light to everyone around him (that is what his name means).

Parece que estamos progresando mucho. Luca ha estado mejorando un monton en las ultimas semanas y es increible que aun no lleva mas que 4 meses con el implante conectado. De acuerdo con un test que le hicieron hace unos dias ahora esta retrasado 17 meses en el lenguaje receptivo, osea lo que entiende, y solo 1 anho en el expresivo, osea lo que dice. Es increible. De repente veo como atiende mucho mas a la gente, a su nombre, e intenta repetir todo lo que tratamos de decirle. Yo creo que estos se debe a nuestro viaje a Los Angeles y tambien porque ha estado muy motivado por nuestra familia visitandonos, sobretodo por sus primas. Lo increible es que ni siquiera hablan la lengua que hablamos en casa, todos hablan en Espanhol entre ellos pero no importo. Como nos dijeron, eso tambien es lenguaje. Es un ninho muy listo y esta dispuesto a traer la luz a todos los que esten a su alrededor (eso es lo que significa su nombre).

In this town, there was a program for deaf and hard of hearing children in the public school that was not the route that I chose to take for Luca. We were disappointed with the few options in this place, where there is such a magnificent implant center. Why do all the procedure, and put your child (and yourself) through so much if you don't have the follow up educational support afterwards? We have been traveling 4 h twice a week to get Luca the therapy and early intervention that he needs, but once he turns 3 we have no support from the state other than the public schools, that are supposed to help us with our children's needs. So these past months, almost this past year, another mom and myself have been talking, discussing, visiting, requesting, fighting, calling some more, meeting with the school board and trying our best to get a program that will fulfill the needs of our deaf and hard of hearing children. We are not done yet, there are some loose ends still but the program is starting in a couple of weeks. Luca will only attend after a few months since he is not 3 yet, but like the director of the implant center told us yesterday, we have made possible what hasn't happened in this county in 20 years. The love and motivation of some mothers can move mountains.

En esta ciudad, habia un programa para ninhos sordos en un colegio publico que no era la alternativa que yo elegi para Luca. Estabamos muy desilusionados con las pocas posibilidades que tiene este lugar, donde hay un centro de implantes tan magnifico. Porque hacer toda esta operacion, y poner a tu hijo (a ti misma) por todo esto para que luego no haya el soporte educacional adecuado? Hemos estado viajando 4 h dos dias por semana para que Luca tenga sus sesiones de terapia y de intervencion temprana adecuadas, pero una vez que cumpla los 3 anhos no tenemos apoyo del estado mas que los colegios publicos, que se supone que tienen que ayudarnos a satisfacer las necesidades de nuestros ninhos. Asi que en los ultimos meses, casi en el ultimo anho, otra madre y yo hemos estado hablando, discutiendo, visitando, pidiendo, peleando, llamando algo mas, reunioendonos con las directivas de los colegios publicos e intentando hacer lo posible para empezar un programa que satisfaga las necesidades de nuestros ninhos sordos. No hemos acabado aun, hay algunos cabos sueltos pero el programa va a empezar en un par de semanas. Luca empezara a ir en unos meses despues de cumplir los 3 anhos, pero como nos dijo la directora del centro de implantes, hemos conseguido lo que no ha ocurrido en este condado en 20 anhos. El amor y la motivacion de algunas madres, mueve montanhas.