The Other Brother

A family member recently asked me about Chris, and suggested I don't let him get lost in the deaf/hoh program with Josh. That Chris needs his own group of friends, too. I agree wholeheartedly, whether or not he was a hearing peer in a deaf/hoh group or not. I'm thrilled he can be a hearing peer with Josh's class two days a week, this has been good for everyone, I think. But I'm also happy that he's in his own class the other three days a week. And when Josh turns three, I think Josh will go to his school alone, and Chris to his own class, too.

I've been trying to type so much about the CI boys and our CI journey, that I sometimes forget to journal about "The Other Brother", too. I was pregnant with Chris when Matt was diagnosed deaf. Once Matt was settled in school and doing very well, Josh was born and diagnosed with his hearing loss. So Chris really has been around and seen everything.

I have been very conscious of this. After Chris was born, things got so rough with Matt that I didn't really get to focus on Chris until Matt was in school. Chris finally started to sleep throughout the night when Matt started his three months of vestibular problems. My hubby and I had to take turns sleeping with him at one point, keeping him sitting up while sleeping. I was thrilled when those problems seemed to go away, we could finally get some sleep ourselves. And as hard as it was to put Matt on a bus one hour each way for school, I was finally able to spend some concentrated time with just Chris.

When Hubby had to go to Iraq for a year, things were tough at home again. Matt was so easy at this point, I hardly remember what happened with him. But Josh had the severe balance/vestibular problems, and I had to spend a lot of time with him and his "therapy" again. And then he finally had his surgery, all while Daddy was in Iraq. And then therapy, four kinds, four days a week. Chris has seen and lived through it all, too.

I don't think things have really been too bad for Chris. I wish he could have had a more "typical" early childhood, "playdates" with friends, maybe classes of his own. I did get him signed up for Little Tyke soccer and T-Ball, and he had a blast. We've discovered that he is very bright, but also quite a little jock, too. And now that we're in a new home, and things are settling down, I try to spend a little time each day with just Chris, too. Whether it's reading a book, playing Star Wars (Legos version) on the X-Box, or just reading a book with him. But I've had to specifically set aside time for him, so he doesn't get lost between his two brothers. We're also going to get together with moms and kids from HIS pre-K class every Friday morning, so he can develop stronger friendships with other kids, too.

Having deaf brothers is going to be a great portion of what shapes Chris' young life, and will be what helps mold him in the future, too. Deaf or hearing, each child is very special to me. I feel very overwhelmed at times with three children, I don't know how moms of more keep things together. (smile)