A couple of weeks ago, we bought Cole new covers for his BTEs (behind the ear processors). He's been wearing the body-worn processors in a harness which has worked really well for him. With the summer heat though, we wanted to try his BTEs so he'd have an option to wear the processors off his body if it was especially hot. We soon discovered that they were hard to keep on his ears and didn't want them to keep falling off, especially outside while he was riding around (happened once and it wasn't good!) We tried out his new Ear Gear on his field trip. Here's what it looks like. You can see there is a cord coming down from his processors that leads to a clip on his shirt so that if they fall off, they hang rather than hit the ground. They also protect them from moisture which could damage the device...a good investment for a 2 year old I think! 
You can see the microphone coming down into his ear here on this ear hook called the T-Mic in the picture below. We like this mic since it is longer, it tends to hold onto his ear better and it gathers the sound as close as possible to his ear providing the most natural hearing experience possible. This is great for localization (knowing where sound is coming from) which Cole has done great at since the beginning! 
We've since switched to regular ear hooks and added ear molds though to help them stay on even better. This seems to be the best set-up for now. We tested it all on his first field trip with his class, and without the ear molds, the processors were still flopping around quite a bit. Some kids use toupee tape to keep the processor in place better, but that doesn't seem to work for Cole either. If it gets too hard, we'll go back to his harness, but it's been good to trouble shoot, learning all the possible wearing options there are for our 2-year old at this stage of wearing his CIs. Our favorite BTE set-up is earmolds with Ear Gear...Last week, Cole had his first field trip with his class to Curtis Orchard...about 5 minutes from our house. His class has a new theme ever couple weeks, and the theme this week was "Apple Orchard" So what better place to go on a field trip than the apple orchard down the road!
I'm using the pictures you see here to make Cole an experience book (a photo album with words describing his experience next to each picture.) Experience books help reinforce what a child has learned by reminding them through pictures and brief descriptions what they have already experienced! It is a meaningful way for them to learn new vocabulary, since they see their picture and are able to "access prior knowledge" (to use fancy teacher talk) or remember their experience and then get excited about retelling what they remember about it! So if my captions look funny, it's because they are what I will write in Cole's experience book next to the picture. If a word is in all caps, that is because I will emphasize that word when I read it to him...this is a strategy we've been working on in his class called Acoustic Highlighting, bringing attention to a word or part of the word to help him focus on it to learn it. As he begins to use those words well, we'll highlight a different word or word part that he is having trouble with to help him hear and learn all parts of each word.
I've put different captions for each picture separated by an * to show you some the things we can say about each one!
*A-pple *It's a YE-llow apple *Yum! Yum!
Apple-tree * Apples ON the tree
Eat the DO-nut * Yum! Yum!
LOOK! It's ShAW-nda! * Ryder is DRI-ving
Where is SHAW-nda? * She is IN the wagon * Cole PULL the wagon
LOOK! It's Angie! * She is HA-ppy 
Cole picking A-pples * Take them OFF
Apples in the BAS-ket * Put them IN
RY-der is ALL done * Close the BAS-ket
COLE is IN the WA-gon * Ryder is PULL-ing
Cora in the STRO-ler * She's looking DOW-n
Pull the WA-gon * Cole is riding IN the WA-gon
Open the JU-ice * Are you THIR-sty?
Dr-I-nk the juice *Mmmm * YUM-my juice! 
Eat the DO-nut * Yum! Yum! LOOK! It's ShAW-nda! * Ryder is DRI-vingWhere is SHAW-nda? * She is IN the wagon * Cole PULL the wagon LOOK! It's Angie! * She is HA-ppy It's a GO-at * He feels SO-ft 
Cole PULL the wagon * Ryder is IN the wagon
Each of these pictures have many different things that can be pointed out in them. I wouldn't write all these things on the page next to the picture in his book, only phrases that are just past his current expressive speech ability level...or just beyond what he can say right now.
He's getting much better at saying the correct number of syllables for the words he is trying to say now. They may not sound just like the word, but he's hearing parts of a word now, which is great! He loves saying Da-ddy! (His "d"s are pretty soft, but it sounds very close to the real word now!) We're so proud of him :) He's been showing us lately why they sometimes call the 2's terrible with his behavior being a little crazy lately at home and school, but with lots of prayer and a little maturity, I know he'll come out of it sometime! Isn't he cute, though! Just loves hats and glasses :)
In the mean time, we continue praying for more patience and wisdom to parent our boy well...as all parents know, the role of a parent encompasses so many roles. We are doctors, teachers, counselors, coaches, referees, chefs, personal assistants, taxi drivers, potty trainers, midnight bed-sheet washers, bike pushers, elbow kissers, prayer warriors and love-leaders (except when the Lord turns the tables and we learn more about love from them than they do us if we let him :)...and all for the little ones we love...every last smiling, crying, joyful, fearful, sweaty, powder-fresh ounce of them...let us be grateful for the moments we've been given, and see God in it all!
So interesting to ready about Cole and the progress with his CI's! Loved reading about the field trip to the apple orchard too! How great that Ryder and Cora are with you every step of the way... it will make them understanding, considerate and helpful siblings!
Love hearing it all!
XOXOXOXO
Can't believe how grown up Cole looks!!!