Explosive diarrhea! That's the reason Devon was crying hysterically. There's nothing like making love and then having to go clean up gobs of messy shit! It was so bad she needed another bath, but thankfully her temperature was normal. Maybe I had eaten something lately that didn't agree with her. So by the time she actually got settled that night it was after 10:00.
When I got back in our bedroom, Prince was reading the sign language book. "What are you learning baby?" I ask as I get on my pajamas. I look over to see him sign something with several gestures. He pointed to himself, then crossed his arms over his chest, then placed his right hand over his chest, and then make some sort of circular motion with both hands coming together. "What does that mean? I love my...?" I guessed smiling.
"Family." He answered. "See momma look how much you already knew."
I signed back "I love you." He responded by flipping me off. "What is that for?!" I exclaimed.
"I don't know how to ask if you want to fuck so that is the best I got." He chuckled.
"Let's try to just start with things that are appropriate to say to a baby." I suggest, giggling. "I think we may need an actual person and not just a book. Someone who would know what words to learn first..."
"I was thinking the exact same thing. Plus I learn best by being shown. Not by reading how to do it. I mean that's how I learned to play piano. My dad showed me. I've never been able to read music. I learn by watching and practicing."
"I'm a visual learner too." I reply.
"Visual leaner. You and all your educational terms. Makes me feel stupid. You're going to blow me out of the water learning all this sign language stuff." He sighed. "Just be patient with the old guy, ok?"
"Baby that's not true. I actually think you'll learn faster than me. I think you have a better memory for stuff like that. But let's not make it a competition. It's a team effort. We will be able to practice together so that should help both of us." I respond, kissing his cheek as I climbed into bed.
"Well I might be scarce for a few hours the next several days. I'm finding the best speech language pathologist and ASL instructor nearby. Or even force one to move close to us if I need to. Money talks and maybe I can convince one of each to work with us exclusively. I'm getting Diana and Amy to help me make phone calls and research the best that's out there and then you and I can interview them together." He says adamantly.
"I love that idea baby. Gosh just imagine how other families that don't have the means we do must feel. If we feel this overwhelmed, I can't grasp how they feel when they don't have the luxury to devote all their time to learning or don't have the money to hire specialists..."
"I know momma. That's why once we we get this all figured out, I'm going to invest time and money into helping them. I love your heart baby. You are so selfless." He whispers, pulling me over to his chest.
"Well so are you honey...." I didn't get to finish my thought before Devon's screams come blaring through the monitor speaker. I look at the clock. It hasn't even been an hour since I last went in there. "What's wrong with her momma?" Prince asked, growing concerned. "It's not like her to wake up this often, or this upset."
"I don't know. Her diaper was really bad like maybe her stomach was upset, but she didn't have a fever. She might be having gas pains the way she's kicking those legs." I say while watching her on the video screen.
"Poor baby. What can we do to help?" He asked, curiously.
"Well she's already had two warm baths tonight but I guess I can try a longer one. Maybe move her legs like she's riding a bike to try to help it move along..."
"Ok you do the leg thing while I draw a warm bath for all three of us."
"That's sounds wonderful." I agree, getting up and heading to the nursery. She is in full hysterics by the time I lift her out of the crib and lay her down on a blanket on the floor. "It's ok. Mommy's here sugar. What's wrong? Is it your tummy?" I ask, removing her pajamas and rubbing her belly lightly. "Here let's ride a bike." I take her legs and rotate them like she was pedaling. This only seemed to piss her off more and her cries become louder. I remove her diaper and carry her to our bathroom. "Let's get in some warm water and see if that helps." I whisper as I kiss her temple.
Prince had already undressed and was laying back in the tub, popping up when we entered the bathroom. "Well her lungs definitely work." He teases as she is still screaming her head off. "Hand her to me baby." He instructs, reaching out for her. I carefully put her in his arms and he cradles her on his shoulder. "I may be able to use your pipes one day baby girl." He laughs in her ear. I join them in the inviting tub and get a rag soaked in warm water. "Hold her with her tummy up and place this on it." I tell him. He holds her down low where her backside is submerged in the water and lays the washcloth over her belly. She immediately quiets down and splashes the water by kicking her legs. "You trying to swim away from me?!" Prince teases her. He starts making silly faces at her making me giggle and her coo in delight. "I think she loves daddy as much as mommy does." I say, pulling his legs over me and rubbing his feet. I lean back and close my eyes, continuing to massage his feet. I listen as Prince keeps talking to and playing with Devon in the tub. It was music to my ears. He was a far superior father than I could have ever even imagined. A few minutes later, I hear bubbles popping under the water. My eyes fly open in surprise and disgust. "Who was it?!"
Prince points at Devon with a smirk. "Her of course. You know just like it was her when she was in your belly."
"So it was you!!!" I accuse.
"So it was you when you were pregnant?!" He laughs. "Yes it was me. I'm trying to demonstrate what she needs to do. That will make your tummy feel better Dev. Give it a try." He urges her.
I roll my eyes and lean back again. It wasn't more than two minutes later before it happened again. "Prince stop!" I moan without even opening my eyes.
"It wasn't...oh shit! Literally! Momma help!!!" He shrieks.
I bolt up and see that Devon has pooped a little bit of yellow liquid into the water and it was floating near Prince. "Take her! I've got to get out. I'm going throw up!" He says between dry heaves.
He made me a jewel of a dad, but he has one of the weakest stomachs!
Over the next couple of weeks, we had Devon's two month appointment and she was gaining weight and growing. The pediatrician said she was as healthy as a horse. She took the vaccines like a champ too. She barely even cried, but I basically sobbed. Prince spent a lot of his down time gathering names of ASL instructors and SLPs that were highly qualified and willing to come interview to work with us exclusively. He had narrowed it down to about five of each and we were supposed to start the process of choosing them in the next few days. Unfortunately, Prince was right on the money about things being in the news, both printed and televised, about Devon. There was a lot of speculation around whether or not she was deaf. Numerous phone calls and emails were pouring in everyday for our side of the story. It was so overwhelming that Amy and Diana weren't getting much else done besides fielding all of the calls and emails with "we have no comment." It was like when Manuela went to the press about our "affair," but maybe even more insistent. It was definitely worse in my eyes bc it centered around an innocent child who should, by all means, be left alone. She didn't choose this life in the public, and not that all celebrities do either, but at least they are adults and can make their own choices.
We had all three gone in for genetic testing just a couple days after the audiology appointment, and the results were back. So we had an appointment today to hear the results. Again, with Prince's money and influence, there was a rush on it. They had tested a large number of genes to hopefully pinpoint exactly what caused Devon's hearing impairment. This would be good information for her of course to know the best treatments for her and so she will have the knowledge she would need to make decisions for herself when she is an adult. It is also invaluable information for Prince and me so we can make decisions about our future family. We arrived at our appointment and anxiously awaited the geneticist, Dr. Foster. We had left Devon back at Paisley with Maria and Diana so we wouldn't be distracted while he explained the results to us. He comes in promptly and greets us warmly. "Ok well I've been pouring over all the information and it is a best case scenario in your situation. Devon's hearing loss is caused by GJB2-related DFNB1 Nonsyndromic Deafness. It is caused by a mutation in GJB2 GJB6, and it is non progressive. Nonsyndromic means it does not affect any other part of the body or lifespan. It also doesn't affect balance or movement like some other forms of hearing loss."
I could hear and feel Prince let out a deep exhale beside me since I was holding tight to his arm. I felt my body relax at the news also.
The doctor continues, "I know you have already gotten her some hearing aids and will be looking into cochlear implants as she gets older. I also know you are searching for an ASL instructor and a SLP, so you are on the right track. These results didn't change anything, it just confirmed that you don't have to see any different specialists other than for hearing. Great news right?!"
"Yes." We both agreed. "So, doctor..." Prince mumbled.
"I know. Now you want to know how likely this will happen again if you have more children or what this means for Devon's future family...."
"Right." I smile at him.
"Ok well her hearing impairment was passed down from a recessive gene from both of you. Roughly 1 in 33 people are a carrier of the mutation that causes this condition. It's fairly common believe it or not, so don't feel like there is something abnormal with your DNA. So a couple of statistics, most deaf people do not have deaf children, only about 10% do. This means that 90% of deaf people are born to hearing parents. So obviously that's what happened in your case and Devon's chances of having hearing impaired children is really low. Ok let me show you a chart to represent how this works when the two parents have the recessive gene."
He pulls out a chart to show us.
"Ok so as you can see this shows a hearing father and mother with the recessive gene, like the both of you. You have a 25% chance of having a deaf child, who would of course be a carrier of the mutated gene. That's Devon." He said, pointing to the figure on the far right of the chart. "You have a 75% chance of having a hearing child, but they could be carriers or non-carriers of the mutated gene. So chances are if you have more children, they will be of normal hearing, but possibly a carrier. Of course, there is no guarantee and you could have one or more children who fall into the 25% that Devon did. Obviously, it is none of my business if you have more children, but I just wanted you to know there is nothing highly abnormal about either of one of yours DNA."
We both left there feeling great. Devon won't have to deal with other ailments along with her hearing loss. All of our focus could be devoted to that and that alone. Also, it is highly likely that our future children will be able to hear and our genes aren't abnormal. Now we just need to find the best people to work with us and Devon, and that's what I'm determined to do.