Hallé's Music!

Hallé as some of you might know, pretty much lost all of her ability to speak last Feb.08. It happened after what seemed like endless ear infections; the Doctor said she had become completely "hearing impaired" and had to undergo the surgery for tubes in her ears...she had lost most of her vocabulary down to about 3-4 words. After surgery; she began "double" talking again over the past 8 months developing a HUGE vocabulary....just no enunciation. "ma-ma" "da-da", etc.....including her own name "Hau Hau Ha Ha" = "Hallé Hatke" :)
This may sound silly, but last Thursday driving home from Mops she asked me why there was writing on her cup (I'd had to label it with marker) and I said "so your teachers know what your name is." And she replied: "Wha Mama?" (What is her favorite word right now.) I said: "so they'll know your name is Hallé Claire Hatke"
That's when the music happend....out of the blue she just said her name for the very first time at 27months old... Hal LEE C L AIR E... And for those of you who I've made be our audience you will know why I separated them. She ENUNCIATED every sound so separately and adorable that it made me cry to hear her little voice say a sound (her name!) for the first time so clearly. That was her first word that she pronounced the beginning and end of! Yeah Hal! I was so proud and grateful at the same time after the long road she's had with her ears. It breaks my heart everytime I can't understand her and after laying on the ground and listening with all my heart...I still can't understand her (it's rare..Eden and I are pretty good interpreters at this point)...and then to watch her melt into a crying puddle of frustration after repeating herself so many times! I know she can do it; she's working so hard! I'm just so relieved to see the light at the end of the tunnel I hope. She is proud of herself too and will show off anytime to anyone. I'd post a picture, but you just can't capture that sound of her saying her name! It's music to my ears!