Ear Wax and Grandparents: An Update

Since Jude was just a few months old, I've had a journal where I occasionally write notes to him about what is going on in our lives. I only write in it once every few months, usually just before or after something big happens (like an international move or when he fell from the second story of the house, which I'm just realizing I never blogged about... maybe I'll tell that story sometime).

Anyway, I just wrote a new note in it today and, instead of writing a similar-but-different update here, I'm just going to give you a glimpse into our lives by typing out what I wrote to Jude.

You are sitting beside me in your high chair puny and coughing (but still talking up a storm in your sweet jibberish). You must have picked up something at the hospital yesterday when we took you to get your ears and hearing checked. We did that because you're still not using any real words, and you don't understand or respond to most of what we say. We've been concerned about it for a while now, and we are working with Laura Mize, an SLP in Louisville, over Skype once a week. She's been a lot of help and encouragement. 

Anyway, yesterday the nurse looked in your ears and said, "Well no wonder he can't understand what he hears-- one ear is completely blocked with ear wax and the other is half blocked!" Actually, she said it in Romanian, but that was the jist of it. So, we went across the hall and another nurse cleaned your ears out by squirting a huge syringe of warm water solution in them. You HATED it and screamed like crazy. But afterward, she looked in your ears again and said they looked normal. 

We wanted to get your hearing checked, but after waiting over an hour, we learned that they didn't have the machine to test babies and small children. Only one clinic in all of Moldova has this machine, but they just got it and don't know how to use it yet! So that will have to wait until we go back to America... which is happening in just 13 days! 

It's so crazy that we've been here this long and now it's time to leave already, and it's kind of sad that you'll never remember it. At least you'll have plenty of pictures, videos, and stories. I hope you do well (read: sleep a lot) on the flight and you warm back up to your grandparents quickly; they are so excited. 

Now I'm just sitting here watching you be precious and handsome. I need to get up and wipe your nose for the umpteenth time. I love you so very, very much, sweet son.