Six Month Old CI Baby and his Hearing Siblings

Aiden's Mom Tammy writes a blog that chronicles her journey with six month old Aiden:
OUR JOURNEY
Our precious baby boy, Aiden, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss in both ears; he was born deaf. This site is to help me journal my feelings, keep family and friends updated on our son's journey, but more than anything, I hope our story can help ease another family's worries as so many other families have eased mine. Another chapter in our life opens ... this is our journey to and beyond cochlear implants ... our journey to let Aiden hear.

This was her letter to me regarding hearing siblings of deaf children:

Jodi:
Okay ... I sat down with my munchkins, and here's their answers to the questions (Ryan is my very laid back 12 y.o. & Kailyn is my "oh so dramatic" 8 y.o.):

Question 1 - What do you tell your friends about Aiden's deafness?

Ryan - "I don't. I don't think it's a big deal to announce it because it's just who he is."

Kailyn - "This is my baby brother, his name is Aiden and he has "earing" aids so he can hear. He keeps getting new ear molds and he has two hats so he can't grab his "earing" aids out."

Question 2 - What's the weirdest question you've ever been asked about Aiden being deaf?

Ryan - "My friends will ask if he's deaf, I tell them yep and that he's getting cochlear implants, which will help him hear, and they don't really say anything else."

Kailyn - "Friends ask me if he can hear with those things in his ears."

Question 3 - If you could change one think about your brother, or his deafness, what would it be?

Ryan - "His chubbiness." (I told him babies are supposed to be chubby) "Not like that fat little man." (I asked him if he'd change him being deaf) - "Yeah, I guess. I wish he could hear, but I know he will with cochlear implants. It doesn't bother me he's deaf."

Kailyn - "I like him the way he is, but not getting "earing" aids. They bug me with all that noise and I just don't want him to have them anymore. I wish he could hear without his "earing" aids."

I also asked them if there is anything about his deafness that bothers them (we talk about all this often):

Ryan - "It's just an inconvenience" (I got a little worried at this point and asked why) "because it's harder to mess with him and tell him I love him." (not so worried anymore) ; )
Kailyn was done at this point ...

I have to share too, the one thing Ryan was constantly worried about in the beginning was our finances. How much are the HAs, how much are the CIs, how much are all of his appts? This is part of what I'm going to talk about in my write up on my blog, because I learned that preteens worry if they're going to be taken care of. At first we thought Ryan was just curious, but after talking more and more about it, found out he was actually scared we were going to run out of money!

And now...
*Meet Aiden!!*

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