SURPRISE - It's a post!

I am well aware of how long it's been since I've posted anything. My new job has kept me VERY busy and in the middle of the road, commuting back and forth to Ridgeland each day. My company has just completed a major portion of the project we're working on, so things are fairly calm for the time being, and I have had some free time to get some pictures posted. You can check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/harrisoncrew New photos are in the March, April, May, and June albums.

Around the house, we've been busy as well. We're trying to get our house ready to put on the market, but it's so hard to do that when you have 2 three-year-olds running around. And I do mean RUNNING around. They are non-stop. Hayden is totally potty-trained now. We're still working on Hank. He just WON'T go - he would rather hold it in all day, dancing around when the urge hits him.

Hayden is interested in all things grown-up. She wants to help/watch me cook, clean, get ready, etc. She's constantly asking "whatcha doin'?" I wish I could think of all the cute things she's been saying lately, but there's just so many. She's still as skinny as a rail, but her appetite is getting better. She is liking tacos these days and "floppy joes". We still can't get a vegetable in her. She surprises us weekly with a new sleeping location. We put her to sleep in her bed, and when we go check on her, she's not there. And there's no telling where she is - she's in the room, b/c we have a gate at the door, but you just never know where you might find her (check the photo link above to see some examples). She is quite the artist, drawing pictures of every guest we have and sending them home with their likeness (sometimes complete with green & brown boogers drawn underneath the nose). She's really into boogers these days. And poop, too. We had company the other day, and she excused herself to the bathroom. Then I heard her holler, "Hey everybody! Wanna come see my honey?" Yikes! (P.S. My children call poop "honey". I never realized that I did this until they started talking, but whenever I would change a poopy diaper, I would say, "Oooo Honey!" I guess it could've been worse.) Hayden is also our town crier. She's going to soak in everything that happens at school, home, wherever, then report back on it. If someone gets in bad trouble at school, she's the first to let us know. If Hank is doing something he's not supposed to be doing, she's going to rat on him. On the other hand, if she's doing something she's not supposed to be doing, she has an excuse for it. She's also gotten very sassy. When we tell her to do something, she spouts back (in an almost teenager-like tone) "Okaaay. Just a minute." She also likes to take care of Hank, telling us "Don't tell my buddy no again. Understand?" And I've heard her telling her doll, "You look at me when I'm talking to you. Do you hear me?" We are so in for it with her.

On to Hank.... dear Hank. We spend so much time talking about and gushing over Hayden because Hank is so laid-back and just Hank. Fairly predictable, cool Hank. Things that stand out more about Hank are things that aren't noticeable to others (whereas Hayden is a showstopper wherever she goes). Hank is SO intelligent it's almost scary. His memory is incredible - remembering random things from months ago out of the blue (in the car the other day, he announced that he watched King George and the Ducky in the hospital with Hayden - that was in March). He also sings beautifully, not missing a word, right in tune. He doesn't do it often, but he surprises us every now and then, and it's so precious. Precious in the priceless-sense, not the cute-sense. Most things with Hank are priceless considering the prognosis he was given. Anyway, he can read. I think I may have mentioned this before, but he can spot a word he knows a mile away - big words like xylophone and motorcycle. When we pass places, he will spell the name of the place (T-H-E-H-O-M-E-D-E-P-O-T). He loves to read books, any kind of book, and he loves to play the piano. He's also quite the catcher, and has a really strong, fairly accurate throwing arm. He surprises us with the things he builds (see his grocery tower in the April photo album) and the accuracy with which he builds things (see the truck - with four wheels - in the March photo album). I'm sure that some people take little things like this for granted, but not us.

Both kids are spelling their names and know where they live. They are swimming (with floaties), and loving it. They only have a few weeks left at their school here in Vicksburg, then they'll start at their new school in Madison. We went ahead and got on the list at a church there back in March, and they had spots available in August, so we jumped on it. We know we'll be moving eventually, so we had better take advantage of it. I hope they'll transition well. It will be sad to leave their present school - they've grown so much since starting there, and Hank is really attached to his teacher... so, we'll see. Our bedtime routine has gotten a little longer these days - we're probably the only family in America who says the Pledge of Allegiance before bed. I hold the little flag, and the kids start with "Attention. Salute. Pledge", and off they go with the rest of it. I need to find a little Christian flag and work on that one next. After the pledge, we drop to our knees and say prayers. Jay & I get so tickled watching them try to peek (especially Hank).

I'll close for now and hop myself into the bed. I promise I won't wait another 3 months to post again! Y'all hold me to it!