We're Back!

It has been so long since I have been back to the blogger world and I thought I might just do a quick update for those of you that might still be out there reading...if any of you are still there :)  The past year has had so many milestones for our family...Aubrey is potty trained (mostly), Reagan is talking, and both twins are walking and running, and feeding themselves, and fighting, and doing all the kinds of things that two year old twins should do!  Reagan has begun to show interest in going to the bathroom on the potty and we have been successfully using it at least once a day.  Aubrey is really anxious to learn her letters and is quite the musical child.  She loves to live life to song.  When she "reads" a story...it is most often put to music.

The biggest and most pressing thing that we are currently dealing with is Cameron's hearing.  Cameron and her hearing loss has been quite a mystery from the beginning.  She has severe to profound loss in her left ear and moderate severe loss in her right.  We have been told that she should have normal speech with this amount of hearing.  However, she has not been progressing like she should.  So, Cameron has begun going to a special toddler time in a class specifically for hearing impaired children (that either wear hearing aids or have cochlear implants).  We also have begun a more intensive speech therapy session with a speech therapist and have to do daily sessions with her at home.  We are currently under a three month trial to see how much she progresses.  If she does not progress then she may be referred to the cochlear implant team.  There has been some research out there that says that some children to extremely well with only implanting one ear and using a hearing aid in the other.  We have been going to this new program for 4 weeks now...Cameron has been sick for two of them.

We'll keep you posted on how things progress!

First Vacation with all Five of Us!

We have just gotten back from our first vacation! It was wonderful. The weather was beautiful and we all had a wonderful time! My parents generously offered to allow us to come along with them to Hilton Head, SC. We had never been before and Seth and I found ourselves constantly discussing what a beautiful place it was.

While, we have wonderful beach scenes to share with you and family photos...unfortunately, they are on my dad's camera. So for today I have some pictures of our time at a place called, The Sandbox, in Hilton Head. The kids absolutely loved it there! Aubrey was so excited that this was a place "for kids ONLY! not for adults" and she reminded us of that fact repeatedly. Here are a few photos from the girls time there.

As you glance over the photos...let me just point out that this was a huge breakthrough for my germaphobic issues that still tnd to hang around a bit since our time in the NICU. Allowing the girls to play and crawl and to touch things that other "germy" kids had touched was not easy. But they were having such a great time, I just couldn't tell them no.




All three girls are growing up so quickly.  As far as updates on the girls...Aubrey is officially potty trained...during the day anyway (and most nights).  She is getting ready to turn three in July - I cannot believe it!  The twins are both going to begin speech therapy soon.  They are both using more and more signs.  If I can figure out how to post a video, I am hoping to get that on here soon.  They can sign, please, more, milk, eat.  Reagan is very good at copying signs and is really working on communication as a whole.  She signs readily throughout the day the simple signs that we have taught both of the girls and her new favorite thing to do is to say "um" at varying volumes to mean certain things. Cameron is not as quick to sign but will do it when you make her.  She loves for us to sign hand over hand with her.  Cameron continues to be the hefty eater of all three girls (she can out eat Aubrey at this point) and yet is still a lightweight.  Reagan is walking and Cameron is standing on her own and loves to push toys all around the house. 

Dedication Day

Well at long last we dedicated the girls at church today...all three of them!  Dedicating means that we commit to praying for them and striving to be Godly parents and the church also commits to supporting us and praying for us as well.  Today was so special..as it was also the anniversary of our first full day at home together as a family. 

It was beautiful, all the grandparents were there and other special friends were there...the girls had on special outfits and then...we were called up to the front of the church.  Now, while I do wish that I had video to show you, perhaps your imagination can give you an even better glance at this.  The girls were so excited to have, well let's call it an audience.  Aubrey wiggled and wiggled until she had to be held.  Once she was being held, Reagan kept pulling her hair.  And Cameron talked (VERY loudly) the entire time...so much so it was hard to hear what the pastor was saying.  The good news is, the whole church had a great sense of humor about it (I have to admit, that it was definitely a funny sight...I am sure I would have thought it even funnier were it not my family).  The other good news is that I wouldn't change a thing...even though it didn't go perfectly I am okay with it.  We are not perfect and never have claimed to be.  The church got a honest to goodness real life picture of what our family is like and there is never a dull moment at our house.  And although in the moment I don't always remember it....I am so grateful for every precious moment.

Thank you so much to such a wonderful, supportive church family.  What an honor to share such a special day with all of you who have prayed so consistently for our family.  We love you.

By the way, later in the day, we were talking with Aubrey about how wiggly she was being and she told us that she was going to tell the whole church that she was sorry.  Now, that too would be a funny picture...we'll see if she remembers next Sunday!

Happy Homecoming Day Cameron!

One year ago, today, we finally got to bring home the youngest member of our family.  At last we were complete.  Here are some highlights from that day.

Here she is still all hooked up to the monitors doing her carseat test in order to come home.

She got an exit filled with bubbles to celebrate FINALLY being able to come home!

Cameron had to come home with a heart monitor at first...here she is...obviously pleased with still being hooked up!

Aubrey's first time meeting Cameron at home.

Reunited at last!  After being together for a little over six months in Mommy's tummy and four months being apart...we love being together!

Look how tiny they look in our chair!

God is so good and has blessed us more than I know that I deserve!  On this day, a year ago, our family finally felt complete.  This was the day that the daily trips to the NICU at Duke stopped, the nightly phone calls checking in on babies, hours spent in the car, and hours spent separated as a family.  This day signifies completeness - of our family, that is.  I am so grateful for all that the Lord has done and all that the Lord has taught me through my daughters.  Stay tuned over the next few days for some more pics of what we have been up to lately!

Recap of the Last Week's Happenings

Well, of course, right after I set my new blogging goals...we end up with craziness here at the Carter house.  My poor kids have just been put through the ringer, illness wise and it finally caught up with Cameron.  After back to back illnesses she ended up in the hospital last weekend.  She was initially diagnosed with pneumonia and we were given breathing treatments to give her...they did not work well enough and so they had to admit her.  She could not keep up her oxygen levels on her own so they had to put her on a nasal cannula to assist her. 

She was admitted last Saturday and came home on Wednesday.  So, Seth spent the week with Cameron in the hospital.  Amongst all of this, Reagan also got sick and ended up with an ear infection.  After the first day or so, they told us that Cameron just had a virus and that it had to just run its course.  So, they gave her breathing treatments every four hours and steroids.  She has been diagnosed with some level of Reactive Airway Disease and so she now has to use a Flovent inhaler twice a day until the pediatrician deems that she does not need it any longer.

While we have been dealing with all this craziness though...Aubrey has been busy growing up!  She is potty trained...well not at night yet but during the day she has been amazing!  I am so proud of her!  She decided on this past Monday that she did not want to wear diapers any longer and she hasn't!  She has done amazingly! 

Happy Homecoming Day Reagan!

It is so hard to believe that this time last year, on March 28th, we were bringing you home.  That was the day that you officially got to meet your big sister and come home to your very own house.   Here are just a few pictures of that day my special girl!  You are such a miracle...God's perfect little gift.  All those days spent praying, learning and anxiously awaiting were here.  These next pictures were of your last day in the NICU with your sister.  We thought it would only be a week or so before she came home...little did we know it would be a month.

Here we are leaving the NICU headed home.  Daddy may not show it but he was very NERVOUS!!!

Your first few days at home were full of laughter, tears, and sleepless nights.  Mommy and Daddy soon learned that although we thought we knew about having a baby at home...we had no clue what we were doing!!!  You did not follow any of the rules and kept us on our toes all the time...still do!

Happy Homecoming Day Reagan!  What a year it has been and how far you have come!  We love you so much!

Reagan blowing a kiss to everyone!

A Fun Day at Home With Mommy

We love pudding!!!!!