Thanksgiving

Blogger is finally working again.  I took a break from blogging because I wasn't able to upload any pictures, but now I can again!  I have to do a little catching up.

For Thanksgiving, we went to my sister's house. 

Nanny and Brenna

Here's what the women and kids do on Thanksgiving in our family.  We plan our Black Friday shopping.  We give the kids the flyers and tell them to circle what they want from the sale ads.  I remember circling things out of the Sears Wish Book at my Granny's house.  The kids won't know that there are any other toys besides the ones on sale for a long time!

We got my Granny to join in on the Just Dance fun.  I think she really liked it.  It was so much fun; we had everyone up dancing.  What a great way to burn off all those calories from the Thanksgiving feast.

We put up our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving.  The kids had so much fun looking at all the ornaments and "hanging" (stuffing them) on the tree. 

Brenna got to put the star on top of the tree.

Here we are before going to Brenna's Christmas social at school. 

Attempting to get a picture with the kids all looking the same way at this age is nearly impossible.  I love this one even if they aren't all looking the same way.  Daddy was doing something silly to make them laugh.

Discharged!!!

Has this day really come?  I can hardly believe it!  I am elated to announce that Camdyn and Cade have been discharged from ALL therapies - physical, speech, and occupational !!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, a zillion exclamation points are needed here.)

From the time they left the NICU until now, we have been going to therapy of some type.  We still have one more speech therapy visit to do final testing/discharge, but then we are done.  I understand that they may need additional therapy down the road, but for now, I'm celebrating!  What will I do with the time I spent driving them to therapy, waiting at therapy, doing therapy exercises at home, calling the insurance companies, appealing for more therapy visits . . . ? 

I am so thankful we found great therapists to work with them and help them get to where they are today.  We will miss seeing them.  Camdyn now tells me, "I go tok Ms. Ju-wee" (I want to go talk to Ms. Julie), and Cade says, "I wanna go pway Ms. Debbie" (I want to go play with Ms. Debbie).  I think the kids will miss going to see their awesome therapists, and I know their therapists will miss them.  They've watched them conquer so many battles like going from 100% g-tube fed to eating everything and having hardly any words to full sentences!  I am so proud of them.

The kids are loving pre-school so much that I plan on adding an additional day.  They are learning so much and interacting with other kids.  I think at this point the best thing I can do to help with their development is to give them more opportunities to be around kids their own age.  Cade asks me every morning when he wakes up, "go school?"  I hope his love for school continues.

Camdyn and Cade love playing in the bean box.  We got this idea from their occupational therapist.  It's a big tupperware full of beans.  We've thrown in a lot of bowls, spoons, and little toys.  They love pouring the beans from one container to another and burying the little toys.  I don't let them play with it too much because it usually ends up like this.  Cade pours the beans out on the floor and sits in the box while Camdyn tries desperately to clean up all the beans that Cade continues to pour onto the floor.  Then I have to close the bean box because the rule is no more beans if you pour them out on the floor.  Poor Camdyn - she never gets to play because Cade can't follow the rules!

Camdyn had her own bout of mischief this week.  I discovered that her hair was cut yesterday morning.  She has about an inch long hair section sticking up right in the front. 

Me: Camdyn, who cut your hair?

Camdyn: Bubba do it.

Me:  Cade, who cut Camdyn's hair?

Cade: Cammy do it.

Her teacher told me she made a confession at school.  When her teacher asked who cut her hair, she told her, "my do it."  We've been going over and over that "only Nanny cuts hair."  My mom is a hair stylist.  Now, when I ask Camdyn who cuts hair, she replies, "Nanny cut hair."  I hope she can remember this because it took her 2 1/2 years to grow the little bit of hair she does have. 

This episode was further proof we no longer need therapy.  She had great fine motor skills to give herself a haircut!

I had to include this precious picture even though it has nothing to do with this post because it is too cute.  My girls love their new pink cowgirl boots from Nanny.

Guest Post

My guest post for this month is up on PreemieBabies101.com.  Click here to read "Embracing the 'Elephant in the Room'".  Leave a comment over there for other preemie parents to read.  I'm sure we can all relate to the feeling of being out of place from time to time.

Our Little Doctors

I took Camdyn and Cade to visit the NICU today in their doctor costumes from Halloween.  I was waiting to take them until both Dr. Breed and Dr. McCormick were on call, so we could hopefully see both of them.

I walked down this hallway several times during their 133 day NICU stay.  As I would walk down this hallway, I remember feeling anxiety not knowing how they would be doing when I got up to the NICU.  Would the vent settings be up/down?  Would they be requiring more/less oxygen?  Did they gain/lose any ounces? etc.  Thankfulness washed over me today knowing that I would be walking right back down this very hallway with both of my babies after our visit. 

Cade visited with Dr. Breed first.  I think they have a special connection.  Dr. Breed was the doctor on call the day the twins were delivered.  He had a big job that day trying to save twins born 16 weeks too early.  He sat next to Cade's isolette through the night adjusting vent settings and administering the nitrous oxide treatment when Cade wasn't doing well even with the highest oscillator settings.  When Dr. Breed saw Cade today, he told him, "Boy, do I remember you.  We spent some quality time together."  If that isn't an understatement, then I don't know what is! 

I just adore this photo.  I imagine Cade telling Dr. Breed, "Hey man, you know that thing you did - saving my life - yeah, that was pretty cool.  Thanks a lot.  I owe you one."  Don't they look like they are in a serious conversation? 

We were able to get a group shot with Dr. McCormick, Camdyn (little Dr. McCormick), Cade (little Dr. Breed), and Dr. Breed.  We were lucky to catch them together.  These baby-saving doctors keep a packed schedule.  Sadly, there are always babies' lives to save. 

Dr. McCormick was only there still because she hadn't gone home yet even though her shift was over.  A nurse told me she was up all night with a baby who wasn't doing too well, and just minutes after we took this picture, alarms started ringing, and Dr. Breed was running down the hallway to Labor & Delivery.  I hadn't had any post-traumatic moments during this visit until I saw that.  I know that's how the scene unraveled the morning Camdyn and Cade were born.  I'm sure there was a call to the NICU stating NICU team needed, emergency c-section, twins- 23 wks 5 days gestation.  My heart sank for these new parents who were about to have a baby or babies in the NICU, and I hugged my kids a little tighter. 

Both Dr. McCormick and Dr. Breed were tickled with their costumes as were the nurses and everyone else we saw on our way up to the NICU.  Before we left, I had Cade and Camdyn give Dr. McCormick some cookies.  They weren't too excited about the idea of the cookies staying at the NICU.  They wanted to take them back home with us.  Dr. McCormick said she felt guilty for taking the cookies from them. 

a look back - After 133 days, we proudly toted our micro-preemie twins out of the hospital doors.

Here they are 2 years and 3 months later walking out of the hospital like big kids.  They have come so far.  I don't need Thanksgiving to remember to be thankful.  I'm thankful every day.

Fall Fun

I'm about a month behind on blogging, so this post is pretty long.  It should probably be about four different posts.  Looking back at all these pictures reminds me of how busy we were this past month, but we had so much fun!

Part 1 - Carving Pumpkins

Here the kids are ready to go outside to carve our pumpkins.  This is definitely an activity that is done best in diapers only!

Camdyn and Cade cleaning out their pumpkins.  Cade kept saying, "yuuuuuuck!" and Camdyn kept telling me "messy hands!" 

Brenna was more into cleaning out her pumpkin but her face in this picture tells you she was also a little bothered by the mess.

I love Cade's face in this picture.  Also, notice how Camdyn is holding her left hand out because it is messy.  I think they all had fun playing in the pumpkin goo (for a little while at least).  Daddy and I were left to clean out the majority of the 3 pumpkins.

Our finished products.

Part 2 - Thriller

My dance studio participated in Thrill the World the weekend before Halloween.  We performed Michael Jackson's "Thriller" downtown with several other zombies.  It was so much fun to see all the zombie costumes and to dance in such a large group.  I had fun making Brenna's ballerina zombie costume.

Our group of zombies.  You can see the dance here.  Our group is to the right center.

Part 3 - Halloween Parties

Jim and I went to a Halloween party with some friends.  We hadn't decided on a costume, so we decided to go as each other.  The funniest part is that Camdyn said, "Dada putty" (Dada looks pretty) before we left! 

Don't I look great with a goatee?

Camdyn and Cade had a Halloween party at school.  Camdyn and Cade were their neo-natologists for Halloween.  I had their coats embroidered with their doctor's names.  We plan on visiting the NICU to show them next week.  Camdyn is showing off the "punkin" she painted.

sweet hugs - This doesn't happen often!

Cade devouring his "cu-cake" and getting orange icing everywhere.

Brenna's school had a fall festival with lots of booths and games set up.  She wanted to go to the fortune teller booth, so we waited in a 30 minute line to do this.  The "fortune teller" was one of the teachers and it was all completely for fun.  However, there was something very creepy about it.  The "fortune teller" told her things like, "I see you are a good girl in school," and "I see you are nice to your friends" etc.  She also told her, "Be careful not to fall."  Then Brenna picked a prize - a witch finger.  After a few more games, we rushed to dance practice to learn the Thriller dance.  After dance practice, Brenna was chasing her friend around the studio with the witch finger.  Her friend fell down and Brenna tripped over her.  I didn't think much of it.  I figured Brenna was really tired from her busy day and was overreacting.  When she was still complaining about her elbow hurting when we got home, I started to actually believe her (bad parent, I know!).  I ended up taking her to the ER after she screamed when I tried to straighten her arm.  They did some x-rays and determined it was fractured.

So, Brenna sported a pretty pink cast with her Rapunzel costume.  We will not be visiting the fortune teller booth next year!

My neice and nephew came over to eat hot dogs and go trick-or-treating with us.

All the kids with Nanny.  Notice how Camdyn is clinging on to Nanny.  She was terrified of Colin's phantom costume, and I don't blame her; it was scary.  She is scared of so many things right now - balloons, puppets, clowns, anyone with a mask, and even our oven mitts!

Our little doctors going trick-or-treating in the wagon.

It was so much fun to watch them this year.  They understood what they were supposed to do and even said, "tri-treat" and "tank-oo", and they loved getting "can-ee."

Brenna enjoyed playing some games that a church had set up on the basketball court.  Here she is throwing darts.  Lucky for her, she's left-handed.

The kids assessing their candy collection.  

Cade wanted to open every "can-ee" right away.  I let him have a lollipop, and he was thrilled.

Camdyn wanted a "wo-pop" too.

Except for the fractured elbow, we had a really fun October!

Our New Therapy Program

I am happy to report that our therapy days may be dwindling.  We've been to a lot of therapy over the past 2 1/2 years, and I have spent countless hours on the phone with insurance trying to get more therapy covered.  We have had wonderful therapists who have helped Camdyn and Cade develop skills that come easily to full-term kids.  They have worked hard in speech, occupational, and physical therapy to get to where they are today. 

Camdyn and Cade both still go to occupational therapy twice a month.  Camdyn was seeing her speech therapist twice a month as well.  At her last appointment, her therapist said she was doing really well, and we would be able to start seeing her less frequently.  We will see her again in 2 weeks, and then after that, Camdyn will only see her once a month.  If Camdyn continues showing progress, she will be discharged from speech therapy!  Hallelujah!  What will I do with all my time that was being wasted arguing with the insurance company? 

I credit much of her speech progress to going to pre-school as well as having a great speech therapist.  Since she started pre-school, I have noticed so many new words and phrases.  She is putting words together to express whole ideas.  We had a garage sale over the weekend, and I had marked one of her baby dolls with a sale sticker.  She has a ton of dolls, so I didn't think selling one would be a problem.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  She saw her baby at the garage sale and assertively told us all, "MY BABY - OFF the sticker!" as she peeled the garage sale sticker off and hugged her baby.  I was so impressed with her "sentence".

At the twins' last developmental testing, they scored lowest in gross motor skills.  They don't jump yet, and apparently at 2 years old, they should be jumping.  Since they walk, run, climb, etc., I am not too worried.  This was the first test where they no longer adjust for prematurity which means they expect them to do the same as kids their age that were born full-term.  I think that's crazy.  Give them 4 months to account for their prematurity, and I'm sure they will be jumping.  Instead of adding physical therapy back in, I opted to sign them up for a gymnastics class instead.  They go once a week, and they love it!  I figure they can work on jumping there, and the best part is that the twins get to take a class while big sister is in another class all at the same time.  That is fantastic for this busy mama.

Cade and Camdyn stretching at the start of their class.

Brenna warming up in her class.

Camdyn doing a flip.  She loves flipping.

Even though they still go to occupational therapy, they get a little extra fine motor skill work during homework time.  When Brenna is doing her homework, Camdyn and Cade both say, "I cudder, I cudder." (color) 

Camdyn and Cade are both loving school!  They ask me all the time, "Go bye bye? Ba-pack?" They want to know if we are leaving to go to school and if they need their backpacks.  I love their school too.  Their teachers are wonderful and always come up with the cutest crafts.  They made one craft using a coffee filter glued to blue construction paper with a picture of baby Moses inside the filter (basket).  Cade told me, "Mo-sis in da wa-wa".  (Moses is in the water.)  It was so precious!  Below is a picture of them with the pet rocks they made.  Camdyn loves to tell me about the crafts she makes, "my cut, my cudder, my do it".  She is so proud.  I'm having so much fun watching them learn new things and grow into their own little people.

NICU Reunion

We attended the NICU reunion two weeks ago.  It was so much fun to see some of the nurses and doctors who took care of Camdyn and Cade. 

Here Cade is with his nurse, Lindsay.  We didn't have primary care nurses, but she was with Cade a lot when he was the most critical.  She made cute signs for him like, "Hip hip hooray!  I weigh 2 lbs today!"  Sitting in the NICU staring at your one pound babies can get pretty lonely, but some nurses felt like old friends.  Lindsay was one of those nurses.  I always liked when she was working because I knew we would talk about things not related to the critical state my twins were in, and it would pass the time.  She was so excited to see Cade again and couldn't believe how big he is now.

 

Here Camdyn and Cade are with Brittanie and Lindsay.  Brittanie was one of the receptionists at the front desk.  When talk of the twins coming home began, I started to seriously panic.  I was so worried about germs and them ending up back in the hospital that I became a thief.  I began to stash extra scrub brushes from the scrub-in sink into my bag and take any foam hand sanitizers that might be sitting out.  I had never stolen a thing in my life, but somehow my mama bear instincts to protect my cubs kicked in and stealing didn't matter.  I needed to protect.  On our discharge day, Brittanie handed me a huge bag filled with scrub brushes and sanitizing wipes.  She told me she had noticed that I had been stashing them for the past week and thought I might like a few more.  She also told me I could have just asked for some and she would have given me a whole box.  We both laughed. 

Here Camdyn is with Daddy and Cade is with Thad.  Thad was a night nurse that we loved.  I remember calling into the NICU several times a night when I would get up to pump.  Thad would give me an update and then tell me, "Now you get some rest, honey."  Thad was Camdyn's nurse often when she was on the ventilator.  Thad would put teeny tiny bows on her head.  When I would call, he would tell me that she got all dressed up for mommy.

Here is a tiny Camdyn with a teeny tiny hair bow.  Those are mine and Daddy's wedding rings on her itty bitty arm with room to spare.  Amazing!

Dr. McCormick was one of our favorite doctors.  Dr. Breed, our other favorite doctor, was saving other babies' lives (working) and couldn't be at the reunion.  Both of these amazing doctors along with all of the other wonderful doctors in the NICU, I credit for saving Camdyn and Cade's lives.  I don't know how they do what they do.  They have to make so many crucial decisions every day to save these tiny lives.  I remember Dr. Breed calling me to discuss the pros and cons of using dexamethasone to get the twins weaned from the ventilators.  He wasn't rushed.  He talked to me for a long time to help us make a decision.  Jim remembers Dr. Breed sitting over Cade's isolette all night on the night he was born.  Cade was in such a critical state that first night.  Jim tells me that Dr. Breed sat right next to Cade's isolette while he sat on a stool against the wall.  They both sat in silence.  I was still on pain medications in the hospital room.  I also remember Dr. McCormick sitting and talking with me after Cade had failed his hearing screening.  She couldn't say she didn't believe the results, but I could tell she thought it.  She told me all the reasons why that test could be wrong and that several babies had failed the first screening and later passed.  Fortunately, this was the case for Cade.  She was also there on the horrible day that I was told Cade had bi-lateral vocal cord paralysis and may need a tracheotomy for life.  After my complete breakdown, she sat with me explaining that the results from the scope did not add up to the baby laying in the crib.  Cade had been off of oxygen since 36 weeks gestation.  This most likely wouldn't have been possible if he had bi-lateral vocal cord paralysis.  She gave us the name of a different ENT to see upon discharge.  We will be forever grateful to all the amazing, caring doctors and nurses at North Austin Medical Center that saved our babies' lives.

After visiting with the doctors and nurses, we took a little train ride.  I've given up on getting everyone to look the same way in pictures.  It just doesn't happen.

Daddy with the kiddos walking out to the bounce house.

Brenna probably had the most fun of all.  She loved getting her face painted.  Camdyn, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with being anywhere near this clown.  She is very frightened of anyone dressed up.  Halloween should be very interesting this year!

Brenna was all smiles after getting her face painted.

This was our first NICU reunion we were able to attend.  The first one was only a month after the babies were discharged, and we were in isolation mode.  We missed the next one because of a family event, so we were really happy to be able to go this year.  I think the doctors and nurses really enjoy seeing all of their NICU graduates growing up.