Grady - Great news and he's two!!

Family picture at Grady's birthday party (8/16/08)

So, we had Grady's sedated hearing test on 8/13 (his second birthday), and he doesn't need hearing aids! I wasn't thrilled about putting him under again (and the hard part was this time I couldn't be there when he was put under which was not the case when he was put under for his surgery on 6/10 at Children's Hospital). The sedated hearing test took around two hours. When I went into the recovery room, Grady was really popular, and the nurses didn't want me to hold him. (I was so happy when they placed him in my arms so I could comfort him and feed him).

The audiologist explained that his hearing in his right ear is completely normal. It might even be better than normal, but she didn't continue the test beyond normal. The hearing in his left ear is slightly off, but she didn't think it was off by much at all. The reason could be as simple as the placement of his ear tubes. They will continue to follow him and have more tests because they want the behavior tests to match the sedated tests, but she really thinks that he will not need hearing aids. This is spectacular news!

He has definitely been making progress in his development although sometimes people don't notice, and it is painstakingly slow. The physical therapist is always very pleased with Grady's progress when she comes to see him each week. He is building up his endurance walking with one of us holding both of his hands, and he is able to walk a little bit with us holding one hand. He is able to stand for a few seconds alone. As far as his speech therapy, he is vocalizing to get our attention and to get things he needs, and he is able to use the "M" sound more consistently. He is able to do a few signs (although it is a lot of work, and he is very stubborn and only does them with much prodding). He can do "milk", "eat", and wave "bye bye", but this is a lot of work still to get him to do it. Instead of signing "more", he puts his hands in my hands to have me do it. I think he thinks that is what the sign is since I have been doing it for him, hand over hand, for so long. He is off the waitlist for speech therapy at Children's Hospital, and so the commute each way will now only be five minutes instead of thirty. I'm so proud of our little guy. I do get impatient for things to move more quickly sometimes. So many emotions all at once.

I was thinking about Grady's birthmother on his birthday. I wish I could tell her that he is fine and how much he is growing and changing right now. The gift that we have received from her is indescribable, and I wonder what she thinks of on 8/13 each year, the day that he was born and entered the orphanage. I hope that there is some miraculous way in the future for my boy to get to know his first parents. We did buy flowers to remember his birthmother by for his birthday. Grady doesn't understand yet, but Jonah knew that they were for "Grady's China mama." We'll see what Grady wants to do when he is more in charge.

Grady's favorite food ever is ice cream. His first toddler like temper tantrum occured after his June surgery when he had on his no nos. We were at the Macaroni Grill, and we were giving him some of the ice cream that came with Jonah's meal off our fingers. Boy was he mad that there wasn't more! So, for his birthday, we went to Red Robin for dinner and had ice cream for dessert. That definitely made him happy!

We had a joint birthday party planned for Saturday 8/16 with another little boy from playgroup named Connor who turned four the same day that Grady turned two. It was to be in our very spacious backyard and was to involve some actual games (like a three legged race). That was when the weather decided to be more Seattle than Colorado. Since living here in Colorado, we've become spoiled by the weather. It can pour buckets, but not for usually more than like 45 min and then it's done. Ryan and I have been at Rockies games at Coors Field when it seems like it is definitely going to rain out when the sun comes up, they lift the tarp, and they just start again. But on Friday the 15th and Saturday the 16th of August this year, it poured all day and the highs were close to 60. Connor's family was in the middle of a move to another suburb. Fortunately, my brilliant husband had the idea of asking the pastor and deacons at our church if we could move the party to the basement. Thank goodness they agreed, Ryan was still able to barbeque the brats and hot dogs under an awning, and the party went on. Both guests of honor enjoyed themselves greatly, and everyone else seemed to have fun as well. Enjoy the pictures that follow!

Mama, Grady, and Connor (the other guest of honor) and the cake

Sometimes all you need to have fun is a ball on the floor (notice the glee in his eyes - the child LOVES balls!)

Getting ready for the pinata

There were some games like Musical Chairs, and thank goodness my good friend brought the tent and tunnels, and Connor's mom provided a bouncy castle!

At first, Grady was unsure of the cupcakes that Mama and Melissa made...

But his opinion quickly changed

The other really cool thing that we just went by our 6 month anniversary of "Family Day". Grady came to our hotel room on 2/17, and he was officially adopted into the Self family on 2/18! What a miracle he is! Check out the "then" and "now" photos: