Flood of 2013

The Great Flood of 2013 (part 1)

As you may know, our rental is the lowest conceivable point in the surrounding neighborhood. What does that mean? Not much when it's sunny and dry. But, when it's wet and raining cats and dogs, we got problems, wet problems.

We have had water in our basement before. The owners have had to bring in a company to blow dry the carpets and pads with industrial strength blowers. For the amount of water we get in Michigan, I think it's a great business idea...lots of headaches and mad customers, but, definitely demand is there.

Two weeks ago, Gretchen was down in the basement turning off the lights, when she noticed that the carpet near the window well was wet....Call #1 to Heaven Scent Flood Repair Company. They came and brought blowers to dry out the carpets and walls. The dryers were here for three days. They came on the 4th day and took out the dryers. Not but two hours later, I was down in the basement again checking the window well before we headed to bed and I noticed the carpets were wet. Had we been bamboozled? So the owner comes back out to check to see if the water was new or old. He made a valid point that if it had been the same water, it would have been smelling awful. Such was not the case. So it looks like water had come into the basement again. However, this time it didn't appear to have entered in through the window well like last time. Mystery...

The last photo is of our good friend, Harold Gretzky, who brought over a wet/dry vaccuum as well as a submersible pump to help alleviate the lack of drainage in the window well. More to come as the story unfolds...

Krasl Art Center

We went a MOMS Club event at the Krasl Art Center. It was fun and Eliza really enjoyed it. The funny thing is that the summer Eric interned at Whirlpool we lived right across the street from the Krasl and never went. The kids went on a tour and then they did an art project. I had to put a cute picture of Carli in just because. She is standing more and more. 

Day One of Hearing Aids

So it has been a long journey since Carli failed her 6 month hearing test way back in October to this point. 

Here is the letter Breena sent to Carli's ENT. It has some good information. When you look at her audio-gram it doesn't look that bad but when you see how much her hearing aids help it is pretty amazing. Ages 0-3 hearing is so important for language development that I am hoping it really helps. She did great the first day. It was fun to see her turn her head when they were turned on. 


Here is what Breena has to say: 

We were able to complete further hearing tests for Carli Fors on Monday and Thursday of this week.  Carli did a GREAT job for us in the soundbooth and gave us consistent responses on both days.  Her test results showed a mild loss in the right ear and a mild to moderate hearing loss in the left ear.  Her bone conduction results confirmed that her hearing loss is purely conductive (middle ear problem) in nature for at least one ear, likely the right.  These results were in best agreement with her Spectrum BAER done 12-20-12, which indicated a mixed loss (partly sensorineural/inner ear, partly conductive/middle ear) in her left ear.  Fortunately, her ear canals were clear and dry for testing.

Based on these test results, we fit her binaural hearing aids and she had a very good initial reaction to the new sound from them.  We also fit a personal FM system for her that can be worn as desired by family.  It would be helpful whenever she needs to hear a speaker outside her "listening bubble" of about 9 feet.  It's particularly helpful in the car and crowds.  She has only one listening program in her hearing aids that works with or without her FM, so the push button on her hearing aids is deactivated.  Her volume control is pres-set and does not change.  

Based on our speechmapping testing, Carli's unaided scores for the left ear indicated she heard 41% of avg speech and 6% of soft speech.  Right ear unaided scores were 57% for avg speech and 14% for soft speech.  Her aided scores were 86% for avg speech and 85% for soft speech left and 93% for avg speech and 94% for soft speech for the right ear.  

Breena L. Scharrer, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA
Educational Audiologist

Eliza's first filling

So Eliza has had three teeth they have been watching that have little cavities in them. The last two time we have been to the dentist they have said we can just keep watching them. Since we found out we are moving to Brazil and it might be a while until we are back at the dentist the dentist recommend filling two of the.( On a side note he uses to go to Sao Paulo and Rio to teach dental students and told me if we have a dental emergency while we are in Brazil there should be plenty of American trained dentist to help us out. )

Since they were so small she only needed laughing gas to fill them. Shew as super brave and did a great job. Where her teeth are blue is where she had the cavities. I am so proud of her for doing such a good job!!!

Way to go Eliza!

Pig tails herself

While my mom was here she bought the girls an American Girl Doll video about how to do hair. They have enjoyed watching it and practicing on their own dolls. Gretta now is practicing on her own hair! She is really growing up:)

Fun day in St Joe with Nana and Grandpa Huff

Tuesday we spend the morning hanging out at home doing the American girl dolls hair and playing with them for hours. Then in the afternoon we went down to the carousel and kids museum. It's a much repeated activity at our house, but always a big hit! 

When we got home Eliza did a little tap dance for us. It sure reminds me of a great home movie we have of Eric tap dancing as a little boy. 

Tuesday night everyone went to bed early because Nana & Grandpa had an early flight out of South Bend. 

Anna called and told us she had strep throat and I was feeling sick so I went to the dr. Well that was just the start of it. Nana stayed up all night with sick kids! She is such a saint. It was so nice to get a good night sleep because I wasn't feeling well either. Carli woke up a few times crying and Gretta was up 4 times and Nana gave her 4 baths because her fever was so high. On Wednesday Eric took Nana & Grandpa to the airport at 5:30 am. We were all sad to see them go. I took the girls to the Dr. and Gretta tested positive for strep and Carli finally got antibiotics for her ear infection that has been going on for weeks. 

Thanks Nana for being such a great night nurse:) 

American Girl Doll Store

Monday Morning Nana did Gretta's hair and her doll's hair too. Gretta and Eliza were so excited to go to the American Girl Doll Store with Nana. I tried to get reservations to go to lunch, but they were full. We are going to go back April 20th to take Eliza for her birthday. She is so excited!!!

We enjoyed looking at all of the dolls and watching dolls get their hair done at the salon. Nana bought the girls a video about how to do their hair and back packs especially made to carry the dolls. The girls were in Heaven:) Then we had lunch at the hotel and checked out. 

Eliza can't wait to go back to the American Doll Store on her birthday and get a matching outfit. She can't decide if she is going to get pajamas or clothes.