Conference

Jamesie went back to the ear doctor today, and the tubes look good. One ear was totally clear and the other just had a little bit of something in it. He'd had sponges in his ears post-surgery (to help the ear drops he was getting get all the way down to the eardrum), and it's nice to have those out. So, that's all good news. (Though the doc did feel compelled to say that if James kept having the skin problems even when he didn't have hearing aids in, the doctor didn't know what he would do. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it.)

His audiologist also squeezed him in for a quick hearing test, which was completely awesome of her, especially given how busy she is.  He did a great job, and his hearing is back to his normal "moderate loss" levels.  Such a relief!   It seemed to me that he was hearing better today even without his hearing aids.

Today was also parent conference day at preschool.  We were talking about James, and the teacher started out the conversation by saying, in a serious tone, "Do you feel like he's made any progress since the start of the year?"  I found that kind of alarming, and I fumbled through something about how yes, it seemed like it, but seeing him every day it's hard to keep track of what's changing, etc.  Then she said, "I think he's made so much progress.  He's doing great!" Whew!  I think my "deer in the headlights" reaction to the question was a consequence of the NICU days -- in medical or evaluation settings, some little part of me always feels like I'm about to get some devastating news about my children, and it doesn't take all that much to trigger that tension.

She said that both of the boys were really smart, and that they knew things that were beyond their age level (shapes, letters, colors).  She also said that they had good social skills, but that they didn't really play with the other kids -- but since they're at the younger end of the class and boys, that's nothing to worry about; they're just not interested it that yet (still more in the parallel play type of stage).  Just from my short time in the classroom the other day, it seemed like the girls were starting to play more with each other, but the boys were all still more doing their own thing.

She said an interesting thing about James is that he tends to be quiet during most of the day, and then when they sit down for circle time, he starts chatting or singing!  (Which is too bad, because that's usually when they're supposed to be listening!)  But we think that once he's back to hearing well again, that might change.  :)

She said Matthew was doing great.  She said that sometimes she has to hide White Bear, because even though he doesn't carry it around as much these days, the other kids will bring it to him and keep trying to give it to him even if he doesn't want it right then.  :)  That's so sweet that the other kids do that!  She described Matthew as "sensitive" in a good way -- understanding his own feelings but also being very attuned to the feeling of others and what's going on around him.  (It's pretty amazing that our little bull-in-a-china-shop toddler has turned into such a thoughtful kid!)