Monday is the BIG DAY...

...for two reasons.

#1. Hayden & Hank start school on Monday! We've found a great church daycare, and we'll take H&H for a visit there tomorrow, just to warm them up. Then Monday, we'll actually leave them there. I'm not really sure how this is all going to play out - will they have fun? will they freak out? Stay tuned!

#2. Jay has taken a new job, and it will be official on Monday. He is going to be the new soccer coach at Madison Central High School in Madison, MS. We are extremely excited about this opportunity for Jay - Madison is a great soccer community, and the school is wonderful!

We're headed to McComb this weekend for the Foreman family reunion. I haven't been in YEARS! I'm not even sure I'll know that many people, but we're going nonetheless. A little Foreman history for ya: My great-grandmother (Daddy's father's mother) had 12 children - 6 individuals & 3 sets of twins (one set of girls, one set of boys, & one set of boy/girl). Of these 12 children and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, I believe that Hayden & Hank are the first set of twins in the family since my grandfather and his twin brother were born nearly 80 years ago.

I've uploaded some pictures from this month. Click HERE to see them. It's been a fun month - we had Mother's Day, the kids went to McComb for 2 different visits, we went to the NICU Reunion at Baptist hospital, and I'm not even sure what else. The NICU reunion was fun but HOT. We saw several nurses who took care of H&H during their 3 months in the NICU. H&H played some games, won some prizes, jumped in the space jump, and ate McAlister's cookies. It was a good time.

Enjoy the latest pics and check back to hear about H&H's first day of school!

A Cheerleader & A Football Player

Hayden likes to do cheers, and Hank... well, Hank likes to tackle...

Watch...

Long time, no post

Well, we made it through Easter, and the kids had a blast. They went to see the Easter Bunny at the mall and had their picture taken. They thought he was great, but it took the photographer (if you can even call her that) five minutes to snap the picture, and by that time Hank had scooted down into the bunny's lap and was getting comfortable enough to take a nap. They both looked pretty bored in their picture. We hunted eggs after church on Easter Sunday, and Hayden loved it. She picked up each egg, proclaimed them to be 'dirrrty', then tried to pluck each piece of grass and dirt off the eggs before putting them in her basket. Hank, on the other hand, only found one egg. He picked it up, then chunked in out in the street (like, what's this trash doing in our yard?). We had a fun day, though, and the kids crashed for a nap on their bedroom floor amongst all of the pillows we have outside of Hank's bed in case he decides to jump out again (which he hasn't done since the first time - must have scared him!).

Hank is talking like crazy. He (and Hayden, too) can count to 12 (then they start saying 'uh-teen, uh-teen, uh-teen'), and they can say most of their alphabet, too. Hank will shout "H-I-J-K" just out of the blue for no reason. Hayden said "uh-oh spaghetti-o" this morning. It was so cute. We're just having a ton of fun with all of their new things they come up with. Hayden gives the best hugs - she wraps both arms around your neck and pats your back and says, "awwwww". So sweet.

I've finally got some new pictures to show, so click HERE to see them. I've also got a video of them fingerpainting pictures for Jay's birthday. Let's just say that there wasn't a whole lot of paint on the paper. Here it is...

Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing

What a fun weekend!!!

We had a ball this weekend... First, we went over to Ruston (which is where Jay & I went to college) for Jay's cousin Alan's wedding to India. Everything from the rehearsal dinner to the reception was beautiful and perfect. The kids were really good (considering that they are two years old), and they had a great time. The rehearsal dinner was at Squire Creek Country Club. When I was in college, I babysat the founder's grandchildren, and the now championship golf course was just a cattle farm. Jay even drove a hayride through the property for our church's Fall Fest. Now, the grounds are gorgeous, the clubhouse is huge, and there are neighborhoods popping up all over. What a change! Hayden danced for everyone at the dinner - even though there was no music whatsoever. She is such a performer. And we couldn't contain Hank. Everytime we put him down, he headed off to explore. He's fast, too! Hayden loved the ketchup that came with her fries (we had a more formal dinner), and Hank ate his fries with no hands. He'd put one in his mouth, then chew it on in without using his hands. You'll have to watch the following slide show to see what I'm talking about. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel, and Hayden slept with me, and Hank slept with Jay. They did really well.

The next morning, they watched the cars on the interstate go by outside the hotel room window. Each time one went by, they'd yell "CAAAAAAAAR!" That morning, we went down for breakfast then over to my adopted family's house to visit. No, I'm not really adopted, but my church in college (Temple Baptist Church), where I also worked for 4 years, had an adopt-a-student program where families in the church would "adopt" a college student. These families would invite the students over for lunch or dinner, let them wash their clothes at their houses, or just provide a quiet place to study. It was a wonderful program, and I was lucky to be "adopted" by a wonderful family - the Coxes. Three of the family members weren't around this weekend, but we got to visit with the daughters, and Hayden & Hank loved them. I can remember when these girls were so young - in fact, Mallory was about 4 when I was adopted, and she's almost 15 now. Bethany was 8, and she's almost 19 now. Time sure does fly.

The wedding that afternoon was beautiful, short, and sweet - just how I like them. H&H stayed in the nursery during the wedding, so Jay & I really got to enjoy it. Afterwards, Hayden danced her little tush off at the reception to a wonderful little jazz band, Equinox Jazz. I know two of the guys in the band, so if anyone is looking for a great band, talented and entertaining, you should check them out - and tell 'em I sent ya! We left the reception, and the kids fell asleep in the car immediately. I took a quick trip through Tech's campus to see all of the changes that have occurred in the 7 years since Jay & I left.

On Sunday, the kids and I drove up to Money, MS, to meet my old college roommate Janie who is down here from Boston. I got to meet her son Tucker for the first time, while we visited at her in-laws' hunting camp. Hayden loved baby Tucker, and Hank was really interested in the stuffed alligator head.

Now our normal schedule returns tomorrow, and it's back to work for mom & dad. It was a fun weekend, but not a restful weekend... We'll have to wait another week for that. In the meantime, enjoy the following slideshow of the weekend, and click here to check out Hayden dancing at the reception.

March 2006 Slide Show

We took the animals to the zoo...

Hayden & Hank had their first trip to the zoo on Friday. We went to the one in Monroe, LA, and we had a great time. The kids really liked the monkeys and the ducks. We started to leave them in the monkey cage, but decided that it would probably endanger the REAL animals.

Saturday the kids were horrible. They were definitely practicing their "terrible two" skills. Long story short: they both dumped their lunch of mac-n-cheese in their laps, then they got punished and sent to bed for a little while, where they took their diapers off, and Hank used the bathroom in his bed. They were definitely trying our patience.

They redeemed themselves on Sunday, though. Jay & I had to keep the nursery during church, and they were really sweet. Hayden found a little boyfriend named Peyton, and they flirted like crazy. They chased each other around the room and giggled and giggled. Hank was mostly interested eating his snack and reading books. That's our boy! Laid-back Hank!

This weekend will be Hayden & Hank's first wedding. Jay's cousin Alan is marrying India over near Ruston where Jay & I went to college. It will be great to be back in our old stomping grounds. Maybe I'll get some good pictures this weekend. Stay tuned...

Back to normal...

The kids are back from McComb, and we have resumed our normal schedule with no hitches! They fell right back into routine, which shouldn't have surprised me because they've always done well with change. They changed formulas several times with no problem and never knew the difference when they changed to regular milk. They got off of the bottle and pacifier and didn't bat an eye, so I'm hoping potty training (whenever that happens) will be a breeze!

Here are some sweet pics taken today. We had a full day of eating out, shopping, and playing in the backyard. Enjoy!

Return of the Kids (plus a new feature)

We're getting the kids back today! We're really excited about seeing them... it's almost like Christmas morning! They've learned lots of new words while they've been gone and have provided continuous entertainment for the family.

I know there are alot of you who still check this site (after two years - AMAZING!), but I don't update it quite enough for you to keep checking it everyday. So, I've added a new feature to the site. I'm not sure how well it's going to work, but we're going to try it out. If you'll look on the right side of the page, down below the individual pictures of Hayden & Hank, you'll see a place to enter your email address. Once you do this, you'll be notified each time I update this site.

I'll be updating this weekend on our reunion with the kids, and I'll be posting some pictures soon, too.

Oh, I almost forgot! Today is the last day of the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children Radiothon. This is where Hank had his shunt surgery, and any revisions to his shunt will also take place here. I've known many kids that have been treated at this hospital - Mississippi's ONLY children's hospital - and it's a wonderful place, specially designed for children. So, if you feel so inclined, please donate by clicking HERE. Also, those of you from McComb may know that my good friend Ashley Jones Garner's son is at Batson and will be for some time. You can read about him on their website by clicking HERE. He & his family would surely appreciate your prayers!

Have a great weekend!

The Empty Nest

Our house is so quiet! The kids are in McComb with my family for a few days, and Jay & I just don't know what to do with ourselves! This is the first time in nearly a year since we've been without them. We certainly miss them, but after Captain Rotavirus staged an attack on our home, we needed a break. Hayden ended up catching the virus and strep, too. Then Jay got strep, I ended up catching some sort of fever virus for a few days, and our house was one big infirmary. We finally got back to normal toward the beginning of last week, but we had it rough there for a while. I'm sure the kids are getting spoiled rotten by all of the grandparents and great-grandparents, and we'll have lots of damage control to do once they get home, but it's all worth it. Jay & I get the break that we need, plus the kids get a break from us, too. I've not been doing very well with my picture-taking lately. Actually, I've been taking them, but they are just random, silly pictures that no one would be interested in. I'll try to take some when they get back from McComb and post them for all to see. They sure are getting big!

Germs, germs everywhere!!!

Don't come to our house... Don't even come down our street... We've got GERMS!!! Hank has been fighting strep & rotavirus since Wednesday, and Hayden just threw up a little while ago, so the rotavirus must have gotten to her despite all of our precautions. For Hank, the virus started out with a couple of throw ups on Wednesday followed by about 7 - 10 diarrhea diapers each day. So, Hayden's little incident tonight is either a sign that the rotavirus has found a new host or it could mean that she had the play screwdriver stuck a little too far in her mouth. Either way, she got a bath and a suppository and should be out like a light shortly. After talking to the nurse on the phone both Wednesday & Thursday, we decided to take Hank in yesterday when we got the two diagnoses. Hopefully, the shot of penicillin he got yesterday will keep Hayden from getting strep, too. Regardless, we are homebound for the next several days... Which doesn't bother me... it's too darn cold out there! I've taken a few pictures and put them in the February album for all to see... Click here to see... Have a great week and stay healthy!!!

Masks & Muscles...

Here are a couple of cute pics from last night... First, Hayden ran through the den with a hat all the way over her head... Out of the blue... It was so funny & cute... And the next picture is of Hank, hanging out shirtless...

Happy Birthday H&H!!!

Hayden & Hank turned TWO on Tuesday, January 17!!! We celebrated with my family in McComb at my Nanny's house on the weekend before their birthday. The kids had SO much fun eating cake and playing with the balloons. It was such a good time. Then, we celebrated here in Vicksburg on Thursday the 19th. They ate more Doritos than cake and had a really hard time going to bed that night... they were really worked up! Here are some pictures from this month, including their birthday parties... Click here to see

Both H&H are talking up a storm. Hayden more than Hank, of course, but Hank is really starting to progress. We got a new speech therapist who is really helping out a lot. Hayden's favorite things to say are "Hey Bubba" (Hank), "WannaGet Down" (out of her chair or bed)", "Whoa", "Gone Gone" and for some reason she says to everyone (even strangers in the store) "Hey, Doggie!" Not sure about that one... She knows her basic colors and LOVES to draw. Hank is saying things like "Kix" (his cereal), "bear", "chair", "cake", "circle", and can do lots of animal sounds like "meow" and "roar". Hayden weighs about 21 pounds, and Hank weighs about 26 pounds. He's probably an inch taller than her, and from the pictures you can tell that Hayden is still pretty bald... definitely MY child!

That's all the update I have for now. It's 8:00, which means it's time for our 30-minute, full-out, no-holds-barred playtime in their bedroom. This is the time of night that we turn all of our attention to the kids, don't answer the phone, and play, wrestle, sing, and do whatever else comes up for the next 30 minutes. We wear them down, then they get a cup of warm milk and hit the sack. Hayden is so funny about bedtime. Once she finishes her cup of milk, she sets it down and announces "night, night!" She blows kisses to whomever is in the den at the time and says "night, night" all the way down the hall until we put her in the bed. She is the queen of bedtime. Hank, on the other hand, isn't so excited about it. He cries about half of the time, but it's usually for less than 5 minutes, and he's out. Then they wake up between 8:30 and 9:00 in the morning.

Y'all have a good week!

It's almost official!!!

Although Hayden has been pronouncing that she's two for a few weeks now, it will finally be official on Tuesday the 17th. Tomorrow, it will be two years since Jay rushed me over to Jackson, not having a clue that our babies would arrive about 30 hours later. Wow, does time fly!!! We had a birthday party this weekend at my Nanny's in McComb. We had a lot of family in attendance, and the kids had a blast! We hit two milestones this weekend... well, sort of... Hayden dialed 911 for the first time & both kids climbed out of their pack-n-plays that they sleep in when we're staying away from home. Neither of them hurt themselves, but it scared us to death. Hank did it first, which was surprising since Hayden is usually the instigator. Jay ended up taking Hank to bed with him while I stayed up late visiting with my grandmother. About 11:15 Nanny & I were talking on the couch, and all of a sudden Hayden just appeared! So, now we don't know what in the world we're going to do. As for the 911 call, Hayden loves to play with phones (real ones, not toy ones - and yes, she knows the difference). She was playing with the real phone, and Nanny took it away from her. Two seconds later, the phone rang, and it was 911 calling us back to see if we had an emergency. No emergency, but it definitely was an action-packed weekend! I've got pictures from their party that I'll upload when I get a free minute, but I'm sure you realize that there aren't many of those around here. I promise to get them uploaded before their next birthday, though! I'm off of work tomorrow, so hopefully I'll find the time. Until then, just keep checking back (those of you who are still checking this thing two years later!).

Happy New Year from the Harrisons!

I have new pictures posted HERE from Christmas and other stuff. I have more pictures from Christmas that I haven't sorted through yet, so I hope to have those up soon. Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

H&H's first visit with Santa!

After the Christmas Parade Saturday night, we took the kids to the mall to see Santa. You can't tell by the picture, but they loved it. They smiled a bunch, but the lady taking the picture was always a few seconds late capturing the smiles. Oh, well.... It was their first time to see Santa (other than when Jay dressed up last year), and smile or no smile, I couldn't not buy a picture of their first trip to see Santa (even if he was 17 years old and 120 pounds soaking wet!). Merry Christmas!

Long time no post...

Sorry it's been so long.... There's hardly any downtime around our house, AND our computer died, so getting updates to y'all hasn't been easy. Let's see, where do I start???

The kids are healthy and doing great. Hank had a check-up with his neurosurgeon, all was well, and he doesn't have to go back for a year! Hayden is really growing up and becoming such a little priss pot. We are still seeing glimpses of the terrible twos, but things aren't all that bad just yet. Hank has yet to utter a real word, while Hayden says something new each day. Maybe he just can't get a word in edge-wise! They are both getting speech therapy, and I guess it's going well. Hank is definitely more vocal, but nothing really meaningful. Hank is also getting occupational therapy to help him learn to use a spoon and stuff like that. The therapists come to the house twice a week, and H&H seem to really like it.

Now, on to food.... We basically haven't found anything that Hank won't eat. He LOVES to eat, especially veggies (lima beans are his fave!). Hayden is picky-picky like her mom. She's also very fickle - she may like green beans today, but not on Tuesday... They LOVE cheetos and animal crackers and peanut butter sandwiches.

They are really interacting with each other these days. They play chase and can get so tickled at each other. They just laugh and laugh. Hayden loves her "bubba" and tries to hug on him, but he isn't interested. One night, we were staying with my Nanny in McComb, and both kids woke up in the middle of the night. Both of them were in bed with me, and I thought they had gone back to sleep. I eased up, scooped up Hank, and started tip-toeing him over to his playpen when Hayden sat up in the big bed and hollered, "BYE, BUBBA!" So, Hank woke up, and we were all up for another hour.

I've uploaded a few pictures to the Shutterfly site that I've kind of abandoned lately. Click here to see them. I'll have to explain the last two photos (I'll include them at the bottom of this post, too). We have this dog/child pen that we trap the kids in at home. With two kids, they never want to go in the same direction, so when there's only one parent at home, it's easier to just contain them. So, I was at home alone with them, and I fixed them some ravioli. They absolutely wouldn't have it. So, I put them in the playpen and went to the kitchen to find them something else. I forgot that I had left the ravioli bowl on the coffee table, and when I went back into the den, they had pushed the playpen over to the coffee table and were feeding each other the ravioli. Remember, they wouldn't dare eat it when I was trying to feed it to them! Oh well, at least they ate...



Notice the quilt on the floor. That's where the playpen had originally been - almost perpendicular to where it is in the picture.



That's all for now... We're getting all geared up for Christmas. The kids don't have a clue what it's about, but it sure is fun for us big kids! And they still haven't touched my tree, either! Whew... maybe that's a bullet we'll dodge...

Happy Holidays!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

We had such a fun time on Halloween. Hayden was a ladybug, and Hank was a bumblebee. We visited our old neighborhood and followed along while our friend Dalton trick-or-treated. We made it back to the car just as the first raindrops in over a month began to fall. I've added two new videos to the links on the right side of the page. One is of Hayden in the hotel room when we went to Little Rock at the first of October. She discovered herself in the mirror and didn't stop talking to herself the whole time we were there. The other video is when Hayden first saw Hank in his Halloween costume. She literally fell out laughing.

Enjoy the following pictures. Click each photo to enlarge.

Let's go Krogering!

If it weren't for these cool race car shopping carts, we wouldn't be able to go to the store... They can both sit in the buggy, and they LOVE to "drive"... However, by the time we make it over to the frozen foods, they are beginning to get tired of sitting so close to each other, and Hayden starts sticking her finger in Hank's ear, and Hank starts trying to eat Hayden's shoes.

It takes forever to shop - not because of the kids being bad, but because of strangers stopping us to say:
1. Are they twins?
2. How old are they?
3. Can they walk?
4. Do they get along?
And my favorite: You must have your hands full! I'm glad it's you and not me!
To which I reply, "Me, too! I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Showtime!

I uploaded some videos for y'all... They are listed on the right side of the page under "Videos" (duh). One is of Hayden doing this thing with her tongue that's really cute. And there's one of Hayden & Hank at McDonald's (Hank bumps his head at the end, but he was OK). "Ring Around the Rosie" was playing, and H&H kept touching the nasty floor whenever the song would say, "they all fall down." Then there's one of Hayden from last night - using a spoon for the first time. We're working on Hank, but he's not quite ready yet. Enjoy!

Today has been a fun day...

Today started off with breakfast at McDonald's. We woke up late this morning, and by the time we got in the car, we were already 20 minutes late for Sunday School. So, we decided to go eat breakfast, and then be early for church. H&H had never been to McDonald's before, and they loved it. We had the indoor playground area to ourselves, and they ran around it a million times. They're still too little to play on the playground, but they loved the bright colors and the kiddie songs that were playing through the sound system. Here are a few pictures that I took while we were there. You can click the pictures to make them larger.







After breakfast, we went to church and got our church directory pictures that we had taken last month. Some of them turned out really cute, see?














Then after their naps and Jay's soccer game, we went to our friend Dalton's 4th birthday party down the street. The kids had a blast and loved the dinosaur cake and ice cream. Most of all, they liked playing with this bat (Dalton's daddy is a baseball coach):




And here's a cute picture of Hank.



I hope that's enough pictures for y'all! Hope you enjoy them...

Just a few pictures

I took H&H to Pizza Hut tonight, and they had their first taste of pizza. They both loved it, but Hayden went overboard eating a piece and a half all by herself! Here are some pics. (Click on the pics to make them bigger)



Hayden has started doing this thing where she pulls her pants down. See?



And Hank threw a fit b/c I wouldn't let him feed himself ravioli the other night, so I finally gave in, and this was the result...

What a week!

Wow! It's hard to believe everything that has happened in the past week. Thankfully, we were only without power for about a day and a half. Jay's parents are still without power, and one of his sisters has a tree through the middle of her house. We were all very lucky.

The kids didn't miss a beat through the whole storm and afterwards. They even got to eat out twice, since we didn't have power. When we thought all of Vicksburg was still out of power, we decided to head to Tallulah, Louisiana, to get some McDonald's or something. But before we got out of Vicksburg, we noticed that a local restaurant on the frontage road had an OPEN sign lit up. We thought we'd see if they really were open before we used the gas to get to Tallulah. Sure enough Fiddlesticks Catfish was open, and not only were they open, but catfish, fries, and drinks were on the house until they ran out! We couldn't believe it! We were so grateful and promised to visit him again and spread the word about his generosity. So, everybody go eat at Fiddlesticks and support the folks who fed many of our Vicksburgers for free.

Later that evening, we went to eat Mexican. Hayden and Hank loved their cheese quesadilla, but loved even more playing with the extra straws the waiter gave them. Hank even figured out how to poke his into the right hole in the plastic top on his cup. Hayden simply just chewed on her straw. We saw lots of friends and family in what appeared to be the only open restaurant in town. Then we got the phone call that our power was back on. By the time we returned to our house, the A/C had cooled it off, and it felt so good. 95 degrees with no A/C is not fun.

Not much new is going on with the kids. Hank is sporting a mullet and needs a haircut badly. I'm think I'm just going to take matters into my own hands and do it myself. It can't look any worse than it does now. Hayden is talking up a storm, but we have no idea what she's saying, though. Hank is waking up from a nap, so I'll have to close now...

Please remember the folks of our region in your prayers.

Another new video

I posted a video that I took of Hayden a little while ago shakin' her tail feathers... Not sure where she learned this move, but it's cute...

Thanks so much!

I reached my fund-raising goal for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica, so I had to raise it!!! It only took 5 donors for me to reach $250, so now I'm counting on all of you H&H addicts to help me meet my new goal of $1,000. I don't think I mentioned before that we are the ambassador family for the Vicksburg WalkAmerica. I've had to speak to a couple of groups about our story, and I'll be doing some radio spots as the Walk nears. If you're in the area, keep your ears on! Remember to go to http://www.walkamerica.org/harrisonfamily to donate if you haven't already! Thanks so much for supporting us!!!

Other news: H&H had their developmental re-evaluation on Wednesday. The therapists determined that Hayden was right on target for her physical skills. But even though Hank is walking now, his muscles are still pretty tense, so they left it up to us to decide whether we wanted to do physical therapy or not. We decided that it definitely wouldn't hurt him, so he's about to start receiving physical therapy once a week for some stretching exercises. Also, both of the kids were borderline for speech delays. Hank was a little more delayed than Hayden, but we decided that a little speech therapy wouldn't hurt either, so they'll get that once a week, too. We just want to get them up to speed with their peers. We'll let you know how it goes!

Another something new...

Shutterfly is doing something different with their site now, and I'm not so sure I like it yet. I'll get it figured out, though. One thing that I do like is that they now offer an address where you can see all of our pictures, divided into albums. So, for those of you who are still addicted to H&H, the link to all of their pictures is http://harrisoncrew.shutterfly.com. You can bookmark that or make it a "favorite", and you can always find our pics! I haven't uploaded any new pics lately, but I hope to in the next few days.

New video clips

I uploaded a couple of new video clips from today. One is of Hank walking. He's just started, so he still looks like a drunk, old man. The other clip is from right before bedtime. A typical scene in our house: Hank's got a toy. Hayden steals the toy. Hank chases Hayden. Somebody gets hurt. Hayden was fine, though.... She's really tough and didn't even cry. The video clip links are on the right-hand side of the page. Enjoy!

Help us save babies from Premature Birth

Did you know that premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in the first month of life? It affects 1,305 babies a day in the United States, and Mississippi leads the nation in premature births with 1 out of every 6 births being pre-term. Those who survive may have lifelong health problems. And premature births are on the rise -- up to 27% since 1981.

Hayden & Hank were born 14 weeks early and spent as many weeks in the NICU. Both of them received the benefits of March of Dimes research. Hayden received indomethicin (a drug researched by MOD) to help close an open valve in her heart. And Both Hayden & Hank received surfactant, a substance discovered by MOD research to prohibit premature lungs from collapsing after birth. If it weren't for the research of the March of Dimes, we may never have brought our children home.

That is why I am asking you to support me in March of Dimes WalkAmerica. Because premature birth can happen to any pregnant woman. In nearly half the cases (including mine), the causes are unknown. The March of Dimes is leading the way to find answers by supporting research into the causes of premature birth. I am joining the fight, and so can you.

Your support helps fund:
-Research into stress and other factors that may trigger preterm labor.
-Programs to educate pregnant women to recognize the warning signs of preterm labor.
-Tools to help health care providers find better ways to detect women who may be at risk for preterm labor.

Please join in and help fight prematurity. Visit my March of Dimes webpage at http://www.walkamerica.org/harrisonfamily and sponsor me in the Walk that saves babies! And please pass it on... You can even email this post to your friends and co-workers by clicking the little envelope below this post.

Thank You!

Welcome to our new home on the web!

The blogging world is really catching on, and being the computer dork that I am, I couldn't let it pass me by. Plus, the kids are getting older, and soon the domain "babiesonline" won't really fit the bill. They need something more mature... HA! So, here's where you can find us now. The other site will remain up for a while, I guess for as long as they let it stay up, but I won't be updating there anymore. If this site doesn't work out, then I can always go back there, but for now, this is our new home!

Something great about this site is you can comment on each post, unlike the old guestbook at the other site. Don't worry, I already have all of your old guestbook remarks saved for the kids' scrapbooks, so they aren't going anywhere. To post a comment, just click the word "comments" after this post. A box will pop up, and you will click "post a comment". Another window will open and you can type in your comment. You should also click the button for "Other" (unless you, too, have a blog - in which case you'll click "blogger"). Fill in the blank for your name (please, no anonymous comments), and click Publish Your Comment. Done! Feel free to let me know what you like and don't like about the new site, and if you have any ideas to make it better, do tell!

You'll also notice that I've added videos to the site (on the right-hand side), and you can also go back and read the updates from when H&H were first born by clicking the month links under Archives. I've also posted some new pictures in the Jun - Jul photo gallery.

Not much new is going on at our house, yet there's always something new. Strange? Yes! Basically, the norm at our house is somebody doing something for the first time each day. Hank is taking more and more steps each day, but he usually has to be enticed by something. Hayden is learning new words and is beginning to copy us when we try to get her to say things. "Where's Hank?" and "Where's Hayden?" are big games right now, along with Pat-A-Cake and giving people "five" (or sometimes "ten")!

Thanks for still checking in with us. I'm hoping this site will work better for us, and I might start posting updates more often, so check back soon!

Stupid computers...

I just wrote a big update, and then it got deleted. I'm frustrated now, so this one will be short. Hank took his first steps last night! We were so excited. The play pen that Grandma Harrison got H&H has really helped Hank tremendously. He is able to hold on to the sides and walk around, so he has really improved his balance. Hayden can say "nite-nite" now, and a few other things. Last night, Jay stripped all of her clothes off and told her to go get in the bathtub. She pranced herself right down the hall, into the bathroom, and tried to climb in the tub. We had no idea that she knew what "bathtub" meant! Everything is going great around here, and we're having tons of fun. I'll try to put some new pictures up in the next few days.

Hank is home!

It's Wednesday afternoon, and we're home. Hank is doing really well. His fever finally broke, and he is back to his old self. We still don't know what was going on, but all signs point to it being something viral. "Something" did show up on his first chest x-ray, but since our ped had never seen his lungs before, she wasn't sure if it was scar tissue from being a preemie and hooked up to artificial respiration and oxygen or if there was a little pneumonia in there. He had another x-ray this morning, but I'm not sure what the conclusion was. All I know is that she said everything was "alright", and we got our walking papers. Hallelujah! Free at last! We HATE being in the hospital, especially with a 17-month-old hooked up to an IV and doesn't understand that he can't teethe on it or jerk it or any of the other tricks he tried. Jay stayed with him the first night while he was all sick and pitiful and groggy. Piece of cake. I stayed with him last night when he was starting to feel better, and he was bouncing off the walls. I thought he would never settle down and go to sleep. I called Jay and told him I wanted to switch, but he didn't go for it. Oh, well. I'm headed to the couch for a nap. Thanks for all the prayers. I'll post some pics of Hank in the hospital later on. Check back.

Hank is in the hospital

We're not really sure what's going on, but he's been running fever (103) since Saturday afternoon. We went to the ER Sat. night, which was a really bad experience that I won't even get into, but they seemed to think that Hank's throat and ears were red, so they sent him home (after 5 hours) with an antibiotic. The fever never went away, plus we wanted a second opinion from our ped, so we went in Monday afternoon, and she decided to put him in the hospital with IV antibiotics. The main reason was that the blood culture that the ER did came back positive Monday afternoon, so it appears that he's got "something", but we don't know what. His white blood cells are normal, but his lymphocytes are up, which is consistent with it being viral. Hopefully, we'll get to the bottom of it soon. The combination of his prematurity and his shunt is causing our dr to be very cautious, and we are so thankful for her. Hank's fever was gone for most of Monday but returned to 103 late Monday night. Please keep us in your prayers, and we promise to keep y'all updated.

H&H are 17 months old!!!

Hayden is walking everywhere now, and Hank is beginning to show some interest in walking. I think he's still convinced that he can just go faster by crawling. Hayden says "light", well, just the "t" part of it, and she points to the light, as well. Hank won't point (it's not polite to point anyway!), but he does look at the light when you ask him where it is. He plays peek-a-boo, and Hayden beats her chest when you ask her where Hayden is. So cute, both of them! Jay & I just got back from vacation, and H&H stayed in McComb for 8 nights. They had a blast and gained whole pound each on that good ol' homecookin'. I'm sure they're bored being at home now, since there were always so many people around to entertain them (or to be entertained!). We took them swimming at Grandma & Grandaddy Harrison's today, and I got some fun pics. Hayden wasn't too sure of the pool - the first time we've seen this side of her. Usually, she's the daredevil. Hank loved it. He splashed and splashed until we were all soaking wet. Check out the June pics to see the latest.

C.R.

H&H's great-grandfather (Sally's mom's dad) passed away on the 19th. We always stayed with them when we went down to McComb, and we had just had a great visit with him on the weekend prior to his passing. Here is a really sweet pic that was taken of him and Hayden four days before he died. I have so many friends that have lost grandparents at a young age, and I am so blessed that I have 30 years of memories with CR. The last year has been so wonderful, seeing him interact with my children. They really put a spark back into him, and he called us everyday to remind Hank not to drive too fast on our next trip to McComb, and to make sure that "Haney" (aka Hayden) wasn't eating all of Hank's food. His mind was still very good, those were just his little jokes with us. I think my grandmother is going to turn his room into a room for H&H, and I don't think that anything would please him more. On a lighter note, H&H are 500 days old today. They are both doing so well. Hayden is walking up a storm, and Hank is finally getting close to standing on his own. We went to church again, and they had a great time (so we hear). We went to eat Mexican afterwards with some friends, and H&H had a cheese quesadilla and some rice. They loved it. There were two birthdays while we were there, so the waiters came out clapping, clanging pot lids, and blowing a big ol' horn. H&H thought it was great! Hayden will "say" light (she actually only says the "t" sound), and she will point to the light, too. And when we sing, "Where is Hayden, Where is Hayden? Here I am, Here I am!" She pats her chest. Hank will clap when we sing patty-cake, and he will snuggle up to me when I ask him to "love Momma". They are so much fun, and we are so excited to be out and about with them now. They will be in McComb all next week while Jay & I go on a vacation to Washington DC. If you're in the area, stop by either of my grandmothers' houses... They've each got joint custody for the week! Thanks for checking in. I'll have some new pictures up soon.

Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's Day. First, on Saturday H&H went to the soccer field for the first time. They had a blast. They played with their soccer ball, and loved crawling around in the grass. We were so worn out! Then, Sunday they got all dressed up to go to church for the first time! We had baby dedication and lots of family came for the service. H&H were great--nobody cried or got upset. We left them in the nursery for the rest of the service, and they had a ball. Hank ended up crashing in some sweet lady's arms, but Hayden (of course) wouldn't dare miss anything by falling asleep, so she played and played, then passed out in the car. We took them to a restaurant for the first time, and they behaved so well. They ate all sorts of food, and they both discovered strawberries. Hayden had about 6 of them! We all came home and took a 2-hour nap. We were exhausted. It was a great day, and we were so glad to get out and about with the kids. It's a start of a new chapter! Enjoy the pictures that I put in the Feb-May gallery. Hope everyone had as wonderful a Mother's Day as we did.

A wedding, some shoes, sweets, and church

H&H have had a fun few days. Friday they went to their first big party! Ms. Donna, who takes care of them each day, got married, and we all went to the reception. The kids were great, and Hank loved bouncing and clapping to the music. Then he promptly passed out and slept through most of the evening! I've posted pictures in the Feb-May gallery below. Today, we took Hank for a checkup with his neurosurgeon. He had a CT scan, and his ventricles look great. They have definitely decreased in size since his surgery, and the dr was very pleased. Afterwards, we all went shopping and got H&H their first pair of shoes! Since we haven't been allowed to get out of the house much, we haven't had the need for shoes. Imagine going 15 months without shoes! I've got a pic of Hank with his on, but Hayden's are being ordered. They also had their first chocolate chip cookie today. They LOVED it! They also tried a little bit of mom's ICEE, which they thought was so much fun to sip through a straw. This Sunday (Mother's Day) will be baby dedication day at church, and H&H's dr has given us the okay to start going to church and leaving the kiddos in the nursery. We are so excited about that! So, this Sunday will be a big day for all of us. We are ready to get out among the living. Enjoy the new pics and check back next week for pics from Mother's Day. I hope to have some cute ones of the kids all dressed up.

Overdue Update

I know it's been forever since I've updated, but as H&H become more mobile it seems that our free time is getting more scarce. These little boogers are everywhere! Hayden still isn't really walking, but she'll take a step here and there. When she realizes that she isn't holding on to anything, she just sits down - chicken! Hank is getting more and more steady on his feet. He's cruising well, and can get anywhere he wants to go. He was 20 lbs at our 15 month checkup Monday, so he got to turn around and face forward in his carseat. Hayden was a petite 17 lbs 11 oz, so she'll have to stay rear-facing for a while. Both kids are healthy, and we got the go-ahead to get out a little more, although we were advised to still limit our contact with children until May or June, then it will be back on house arrest once the cold & flu season starts in Sept/Oct. Hayden is a champion bye-bye waver. She says bye-bye whether we're coming or going. She knows where Mommy's nose and mouth are, and she loves to clap for herself. Hank is learning to drop things and will entertain himself forever just picking things up, dropping them, and doing it all over again. He, too, loves to clap for himself and still uses his mouth as a third hand to carry whatever he doesn't have room for in his hands. They eat grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta, veggies, mac-n-cheese, scrambled eggs, and anything they can pick up. They are so much fun, and when people remark that they don't know how we do it with two babies, we just say that we don't know what we'd do if we just had one. How boring! :) Thanks for checking in with us after all this time. We're doing great, and I promise to keep updating--even if it takes me a few weeks. Y'all check out the new pics in the Feb-Apr gallery.

Videos

I've got some great videos for y'all to see if your internet connection is fast enough. Hayden took her first steps on Thursday, and I have a video of it. Also, we went to the playground for the first time today. Hank laughed the entire time he was swinging with his Daddy (it sounds like he's crying, but I promise he's laughing.) That video is out there, too. I'm going to start sharing more videos as time goes by. The links to the videos are on the right of this page. Y'all enjoy!

Happy March!

Where does the time go? Not much is going on here, but I thought I'd post since I got in trouble yesterday (by Ms. Pat) for not updating enough. My 30th birthday was Friday, and the kids got me the cutest cards. Jay & I went out to eat and to the school play, which was really good. And when we came home, the kids were already in bed, which was the best present ever! They have been so fun to watch lately--chasing each other around and interacting with each other much more. Of course, Hayden is still the boss, but Hank is becoming more assertive. Hayden has had nightmares a few of times, but they are usually around 6 am. And we think Hank is scared of the dark. We can put him down for a nap during the day, and he is fine to play in his bed until he falls asleep, but he will NOT do that at night. We aren't really sure what's going on there. We have a little friend named Hays who is very sick right now. In fact, he's been in the hospital since right before Christmas, and it's been very grave at times. Hays was a preemie, and is a few months older than H&H, so you can imagine what it's like for him and his sweet parents to be stuck in a hospital for months, especially after they have already endured a very trying NICU stay. Please put him on your prayer list, and if you live in our area, there will be a benefit for him on Saturday from 1-5 at Maxwell's. There will be children's games, crawfish, door prizes, etc.

Fun day in Jackson

Hi, friends! Since our last update, Hank has had a checkup with his neurosurgeon who couldn't be more pleased with his progress. Hank will have a CT scan in May to give us a look at his brain and how well the fluid is draining. We spent a long President's Day weekend in McComb, staying with both sets of great-grandparents. The kids had so much fun! The weather was wonderful, and H&H got to play in the grass for the first time (which also included eating it!). Hayden hated the grass. Hank loved it. I've posted pictures in the February album so you can see for yourself. Today, we had a long, but very fun day. We went back to Baptist Hospital for their developmental appointment with the folks from the NICU. They were amazed at how well the kids are doing and told us that they didn't need to see us anymore! They also cleared both H&H of any cerebral palsy--this had been a strong possibility for Hank with the degree of brain hemorrhage he had at birth. After visiting the therapists in the clinic, we saw Dr. Temple, one of the neos that cared for them in the NICU. He did a quick health checkup on them and was extremely pleased. We were asked right before the babies were delivered to take part in some research regarding breathing assistance techniques at birth for babies born at 26 weeks and under. The doctors at Baptist were so excited to have us sign on for the study last year, and they will continue to track H&H to see how often they get sick, and if they end up with asthma or allergies. Dr. Temple walked us up to the NICU so we could visit all of the nurses that took such great care of the kids while they lived there for 94 days. It was so good to see those ladies, and it made me so proud everytime someone said how pretty H&H's heads turned out to be (I worked so hard rubbing and positioning their heads so they wouldn't have the preemie-peanut head!). To our surprise, Dr. Temple also rounded up Dr. Perry (high-risk maternal/fetal specialist) and Dr. Gebhart (my OB)--both of whom delivered H&H. We were so happy to see them, and I think they were also happy to see us and know that H&H are doing so well. One of the ladies at Labor & Delivery even looked in the computer to see if the nurses that were assigned to me during my stay were on duty today, but they weren't. We felt so special, seeing all of these folks who became like family over the course of 3 months. We came home and ended our day with a fashion show, put on by Hayden. She got a new bikini and modeled it for us. You'll have to check out the pics in the February album. Enjoy!

Happy February!

Time is flying by! Hank is healing well from his surgery. Other than the scars, you would never guess he'd had anything done. Dr. Parent told us to expect some developmental improvement in the weeks to come, and we are already seeing it. Last night, we found Hank standing up in his bed! That was a big first for us. We have felt that Hank's gross motor skills were lagging a bit, so it's great to see things happening in that area. Hayden has had a couple of firsts herself. She has begun saying her G's and sounds quite frustrated when she does so. This is what it sounds like: "god, god, god, god, god, god, god". It's really funny to hear come out of her sweet, little mouth. She also has begun to play peek-a-boo now. She's always loved for us to play it for her, but now she really takes part. She pulls her bib up over her face, then lets it down. She is SO cute! She loves to clap her hands and has learned to "strum" her lips to make noises. Both H&H are enjoying feeding themselves finger foods. Jay & I never know what kind of treat we'll pull out of their cracks and crevices (slices of cheese can fit in the strangest places!). Hank likes to share pancakes with me in the morning, while Hayden loves pasta dishes. Hank is like a chipmunk, storing food in his cheeks for up to an hour! While Hayden is the fastest eater on the planet. Hayden got slighted on having her photos posted to the web while Hank was in the hospital, so I made up for it tonight and posted some of just her. They're in the February album below. I hope you enjoy them. We are having tons of fun, and I wish each of you could experience just a teaspoon of the joy we have each day. Thanks for being great friends!

We're Home!

Hank's feeling great, and so are we. He is such a champ! We'll go back for a check-up on Feb. 11, and then he'll be monitored reguarly for the rest of his life (in case you didn't know, this shunt stays in his body forever). I just uploaded the pictures from the hospital into the January album below. Warning! There are pics of Hank's incisions. They are covered with steri-strips, but some of you still may find it a little graphic. I do have some cute pictures of him prior to surgery, so you'll want to check them out. The graphic pictures are numbers 157-161, so as you are viewing the slideshow, you may want to skip over those. I don't think they're gross, but some of you may. Hayden is still with my family in McComb having the time of her life. She loves the spotlight, and there’s no doubt she is center-stage down there. Hurricane Hayden will arrive back in Vicksburg on Sunday. We are so thankful for all of your thoughts and prayers--you never let us down!

The day after

Hank is back to his old self today. He basically slept all day yesterday, but awoke this morning a new man! He hasn't tried to touch his head or belly, though he continues to teethe on his IV. He's had no pain meds (Yes, I said NO meds!), and honestly doesn't act any different than he did before we got here. It's so amazing. If it were me, I'd be out of commission for 6 weeks and milking it for all it's worth! He's back to his regular feedings and is taking his afternoon nap on his daddy's chest right now. Going home tomorrow is a possibility, and I'm really ready to get back to normal... whatever that is... Thanks for praying, y'all!

Hank did well

I just saw Hank, and he's doing great. The surgery went well, and the dr said that the fluid started flowing immediately when they put the tubing in, which means there was definitely some pressure in there. He's a little disoriented and grumpy, which is normal, so we'll be making sure he gets lots of loving tonight. It looks like we'll be here until Fri or Sat. I'll be putting some pictures of ol' Hank on the website tonight, so check back later on. Thanks for your prayers!

Hank's in surgery

Thanks to Grandaddy Harrison we've got a laptop up here with wireless internet access, so I'm able to update you from the family waiting room in the surgical unit. Hank went back about 11:40, and they just called to let us know that he was doing great and they were finishing up. Everything has gone well so far, except the poor little man was starving since he couldn't eat/drink after midnight. We'll update again as soon as we get a chance. Hayden is enjoying the undivided attention down in McComb and probably won't want to come back! Thanks for checking in!

Bad news

Hank’s neurosurgeon decided that Hank needs a VP shunt to relieve the fluid pressure in his brain. He will be admitted to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital at UMC tomorrow. He will have surgery sometime Wednesday morning. You can do an internet search for VP shunt to learn more about the procedure. Please keep our family in your prayers.

Neuro Checkup Today

This morning Hank has a CT scan at UMC and an appt with Dr. Parent, his neurosurgeon. We'll update when we get back from Jackson.

Yay for Hank!

Yesterday morning, he was found sitting up all by himself in his crib. He is also pulling up alot quicker and more steady than he has been. He also has a tooth up on top. Tooth race: Hank 3, Hayden 2. Hayden is beginning to get more steady on her feet, too. She can hold on to something with one hand and bend down to pick something up with the other hand. She's even let go and stood by herself for a couple of seconds. What will we do when they start walking???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAYDEN & HANK

Hayden & Hank are a year old today, and we have so much to be thankful for! They are healthy and growing so fast. We held their party yesterday, and had so much fun. Since we got so many toys for Christmas, we had a book party for their birthday. They got so many great books, and we can't wait to read them all. I've posted pictures below, so y'all check them out. Thanks so much for everyone who is still keeping up with us a year after they were born. Y'all mean the world to us. Enjoy the pics!

Big Birthday Coming Soon!

Hi everyone! We are officially on the birthday countdown. I can't believe they'll be ONE in a matter of days. They had their one-year checkup yesterday and got a great report. We can start making the transition off of formula and onto whole milk, and they can start eating basically any table food they want. This is huge news for us, because making 8 bottles of formula each night is no picnic! Hank weighed 16-15, and Hayden weighed 15-4. The dr said that Hank is just a little skinny for his length, so we're supposed to start feeding him more. And Hank's head hasn't grown, which is really great news. Hayden is in the 10th percentile for size. She's such a tiny, little thing. Our dr isn't concerned though since my stature is small, too. Hayden had another ear infection--maybe the same one from a few weeks ago that never completely went away. She put her on a stronger antibiotic this time, so we'll go back in two weeks to see if it's gone. They'll also get another RSV shot along with their chicken pox shot. We'll see Hank's neurosurgeon on the 24th for a CT scan and checkup, and we're really excited about that. Hayden is crawling all over the place and can pull up in the blink of an eye. She's even started to hold on with only one hand and take a couple of tentative steps. It won't be long before she's walking! Hank does the commando crawl, pulling himself along the floor with his arms. He's trying to pull up, but can only get to his knees right now. We just finished re-doing their playroom, so they have lots of room to roam these days. We'll be having their birthday party on Sunday, and I know they can't wait to show off for all of the family (especially Hayden, who loves the spotlight!). Thanks for checking up on us! And make sure you check back at the beginning of next week for pics from their party!

Season's Greetings!

Okay, I know it's been forever... Sorry ;) I've just uploaded tons of pictures (70 to be exact). Some of them are in the Nov - Dec gallery and the rest are in the Christmas gallery, so be sure to check them out. We are having a ball with the kids. Hank is sitting up really well now, and he's starting to pull his legs up under him like he wants to crawl. He says Mama all the time and, in return, gets anything he wants. Hayden is pulling up and is such a little busy body. She had her first accident when she pulled a plant down on top of her at Nanny's house. It was very minor, but she did get a bo-bo from it. You can see it in some of the Christmas pictures. Hayden says Dada and is the apple of his eye! H&H fight like cats and dogs. I don't care if both of them have the same exact toy in their hands, Hayden will steal Hank's from him. Then she laughs at him when he cries. We are in so much trouble! They got so many great things for Christmas, but most of all they loved the paper and bows. Apparently, they taste pretty good - who knew?!? We've all remained pretty healthy and are trying to stay indoors as much as possible. I'm so ready for warm weather, so we can play outside. I guess that's about all. I hope y'all enjoy the pictures!

Preemie doll pics

I added some new pictures!!! I had some from November and December, so I just put them all together in one album below. The dolls that they are holding in some pictures are dolls that I had made to their exact dimensions when they were born. So, you can see just how much they've grown! Enjoy the pics!

Yuk!

Hayden's got an ear infection. We caught it very early, and it really doesn't seem to be bothering her. She's just a little clingy, that's all. Mommy has the weird December weather crud, so our house is kinda germy right now. Hayden is still crawling and loving it--especially when she crawls right over Hank. He doesn't like that part. She's also a little thief. Anything Hank has, she takes from him, and he just lies there and lets her do it. Hayden is sitting up all by herself now. It's so funny to find her sitting up in her bed in the morning. At night, we put her to bed awake, and she plays until she falls asleep. The past two nights we've gone in her room to find that she fell asleep sitting up and just flopped forward with her legs spread apart with her body lying between them. Hank is beginning to do the army man crawl where he pulls himself across the floor with his arms. I guess he just doesn't want to be outdone by sissy. Y'all have a great week!

Hayden crawled!

She did it this evening for the first time. She's not consistent with it, yet. She crawled on all fours a few times, and the other times, she would crawl two steps (is that what it's called?), then flop on her belly, then back up on all fours for some more crawling, then flop back down. She's really cute and looks way too small to be crawling. It figures that she'd wait until I got my Christmas tree up to start this... I can't wait to see what kind of mess she gets into! Yay for Hayden!

Eye doctor appt

Hayden's appt went well yesterday. The eye dr was very pleased and said that he wants to see her back in two years! He checked her for glasses and said that she was a little far-sighted with an astigmatism, which is normal for her age. No glasses anytime soon. The downside to yesterday was Hayden's being called a boy 7 different times at the dr office. Four people in the waiting room told me how cute my son was, then the dr said, "How's my boy?!", and two nurses did it, too. I know she's bald, but the ladybug and flower on her bib ought to give you a hint! Oh, well, her mommy was a "boy" until she was four and started growing hair, so I guess Hayden is just doomed. She did get her second tooth Monday morning. So, she's tied with Hank (even though his are just about all the way in, and you can see them when he smiles!). Have a great weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We enjoyed our trip to McComb. H&H are really getting mobile. They still aren't crawling, but Hayden is so close, and it's really frustrating her. She can sit up all by herself now, and she's so cute. She just looks way too little to be sitting alone. Hank is starting to sit a little bit by himself. He has begun to reach for me and has become quite the momma's boy. I found Hayden's first tooth Friday morning, so Hank is only up 2-1 now. His little bottom teeth are so cute. H&H go to the dr Tuesday for flu booster shots (they had their first flu shots last month). Then Hayden goes to the eye dr in Jackson on Wednesday. This is the pediatric ophthalmologist that saw them each week in the NICU and a few times after they were released. He saw them 6 months ago and wanted to see Hayden again in December and Hank again in May. It's just a check-up, so we hope to hear good news. I am so excited about the holidays and hope to have lots of fun pictures to share over the next month or so, so everybody, keep checking back!

First soccer game!

Tonight H&H went to their very first soccer game. They had a great time and were really good. There are some pics from the game in the November album. Hayden is starting to rock back and forth on her hands and knees. Crawling isn't far away! Hank has been saying consonant sounds: ma-ma-ma & ba-ba-ba. And Hayden can wave bye-bye, but she doesn't do it all the time. Hank can twirl his pacifier around in his mouth with his tongue if he puts it in upside down. It's a really cute trick. Apparently, I used to do it, too. I am getting ready for their first Christmas... I can't wait! We went to the dr yesterday for RSV shots and got new weights on the kids. Hayden was 14-10, and Hank 16-8. They seem to still be doing really well. Thanks for checking in! (Don't forget to check out the new pics!)

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Still no big news around here. H&H are so mobile now. Rolling around is their major mode of transportation. They can roll across a room in no time! It scares us to think about crawling and walking. I turned my back the other day, and when I turned back around Hank had made it all the way to the corner of the room and was chewing on the wheel of his high chair. They were supposed to get another RSV shot today, but the drs office had written the date wrong on our appt reminder card. They called today to remind us of our appt tomorrow, so I called them back and told them that our appt was for today, and I had already made plans, yada-yada, but they couldn't change it. We'll go next Thursday morning instead. I'm putting more new pics in the November album, so y'all check it out!

Brief update

Everything's going great. Hank's still winning the tooth race 2-0 over Hayden.

Still truckin'

Just a quick note to say THANKS to everyone who bought us diapers & wipes as baby gifts. The twins have been home for 6 months now, and we STILL have diapers & wipes! We've got about 4 jumbo packs of diapers left, so we should make it to the 7 or even 8 month mark without having to buy any. What a blessing you have been!

We got good news today.

Dr. Parent doesn't think that Hank needs any surgical procedure right now. He can't see any blockage of spinal fluid and is thinking that Hank's ventricles might be enlarged due to his initial bleed and will always be a little larger than normal. He's going to keep monitoring him to make sure, so we go back for a CT scan and re-evaluation in January. Thanks so much for all of your prayers--we know they worked!

***NEWS FLASH***

Hank has a tooth!!!
Okay, so it just broke the gum, but still IT'S A TOOTH! Hayden got a flu shot today, but because Hank has a mystery rash, he has to wait until next week to get his. We see the neurosurgeon on Monday, so check back for an update then.

Not a fun day

Hank's MRI went well. He wasn't very happy while they were putting the IV in, and mom & dad almost cried too--he was so pitiful. Afterwards, they wouldn't let us leave until he opened his eyes, and it took FOREVER! We tried pinching, poking, rubbing, yelling, cold rag, but nothing worked. He was a limp ragdoll. Finally the nurse put the rag in some ICE COLD water, and that did the trick. He's been very clingy and sleepy since then, and she said to expect that for the next 72 hours, possibly. We have to wake him up every 2 hours to make sure he's okay. We'll get the results on Monday, so check back then for an update. Until then, enjoy the cute, new pictures under October. Thanks for checking in!

We love fall

We've had a fun weekend. The nice weather has allowed us to lie out in the shade on a blanket each day. H&H love it! Hank has recently found his feet, and Hayden has a crush on the WJTV-12 weatherman. She squeals whenever he's on tv--it's so funny! She also really likes Steve from Blue's Clues. She scooted from one end of the quilt to the other while we were outside the other day. Hank is content lying just where he is--soaking it all in. He does love when the wind blows and all the leaves on the trees move. He thinks that's really great. He likes to feel the grass, but Hayden isn't too interested in it. Hank's MRI is tomorrow morning. We have to be at UMC at 9:30--Think about us then! We won't know the results until next week, but I'll update Monday evening and let you know how the little man did.

Happy Columbus Day!

We enjoyed a fun weekend in McComb and a nice holiday yesterday at home. H&H saw their pediatrician yesterday and got a great report! Hank weighed 15-10, and Hayden weighed 13-7. They are getting so big! They were a little tired going into the appointment, so you can imagine what it was like when Dr. Smith started poking and prodding them. Then they got their RSV shots. They were NOT happy. Since Hank weighs more, he got 2 shots. She also gave them the go-ahead to start eating meats. It grosses me out to think of feeding them mushy meat out of a jar, but I guess I'll have to. Yuck. To her, she said they look like 7-month-olds developmentally. That's so great considering they are still about week shy of being 6 months adjusted age. I'll try to get some new pictures up this week. Hank is getting a little more hair, but poor Hayden has been cursed by her mommy and will probably be bald until she's 4. I joked to a friend the other day that H&H could star in their own soap "The BALD and the Beautiful". Fine by me, though. I wouldn't know what to do with her hair if she had any! Bows and braids are all foreign to me. Thanks for checking up on us--we're doing great!

p.s. Hank's MRI is Monday. The word is that he will have to be sedated, and I'm still not excited about it, but I don't think it's as bad as I thought. It's called conscious sedation, where he's just basically put to sleep rather than general anesthesia. Makes me feel only a tad better, but I guess I'll have to live with it.

Longest day ever

Today was a long day. We started our day at 10 am when we left Vicksburg for Jackson. Hank's neurosurgeon appt was at 11:10 but the dr was behind, and we didn't get seen until after 12:30. We saw Dr. Parent, and he said that Hank's middle and lateral ventricles are definitely dilated (overly filled with fluid), but his frontal ventricle is not. This leads him to believe that there is some sort of blockage between the lateral ventricles and the frontal ventricle, prohibiting a steady flow of spinal fluid to the frontal and out and around the brain. It doesn't seem to be bothering Hank developmentally, and Dr. Parent said that Hank's brain "looks like a happy brain", so he's not too worried right now. He did order an MRI for Oct. 18, and we'll see him again on the 25th for him to go over the results. If the MRI confirms what he thinks is happening, Hank will need surgery to implant a shunt. Mom is not excited about this, nor am I excited about Hank being put to sleep to have the MRI--it just makes me nervous. Anyway, we left UMC at 1:30 to head over to Baptist for H&H's appointment at the developmental clinic. We fed the kids in the car in the parking lot, but Princess Hayden's bottle was too cold, so I had to go into Baptist in search of a microwave to heat it up. I fed her in a waiting room while Hank finished up with Jay in the car. We had a great visit at the clinic. The therapists played with them on the floor, testing various skills. Both kids scored ahead of schedule developmentally. Their corrected age (since their due date) is 4 months, 28 days, and they scored anywhere from 5.2 to 6.8 months in different areas. They were very pleased with them and want to see them back Feb. 24. After we finished up there, we went upstairs to the NICU to visit all of the wonderful ladies who took care of them for so long. It was great to see them all again. We are so thankful for everyone who nursed them during their 94 days in the hospital, but we are even more thankful that they are home and healthy and happy. We finally made it back home at 5 pm, and we were all exhausted. Jay had soccer practice, so the kids and I went promptly to sleep for a couple of hours. What a full day--we can't wait for the weekend! Please keep Hank in your prayers. Pray that the MRI will show that there isn't any blockage. But if it does, pray that we are prepared to accept the news, and that Hank will come through the necessary procedures with flying colors--not that we don't already know that he's such a trooper! Thanks so much for your continued support of our family. We couldn't do it without you! p.s. Hank weighed 15 lbs. & Hayden was 13.4 lbs.

I know, I know...

I've been MIA for a while. Would you believe it if I said I'd been slightly busy? :) Everything is going great around our house. It seems like the kids are doing new little things every day. Hayden is about to roll over from back to belly. Hank is holding his bottle pretty well. They are both on the verge of sitting up alone. It's a very exciting time for us. We have our appt with Dr. Parent (the pediatric neurosurgeon) on Thursday. We also have an appt at the developmental clinic at Baptist that day. The neonatologist that helped deliver the twins along with one of the nurse practioners who took care of them while in the NICU will be working with them on Thursday to see if they are on-track developmentally. Of course, I think they're doing great, and our pediatrician also thinks so. But I guess we'll find out this week. And after our appt we'll head upstairs to the NICU to visit all of the nurses we loved for 94 days! We are so excited about that! We took Hank to the dr on Wednesday. He had a little rash on his head which turned out to be eczema. A little hydrocortisone cream has solved the problem. She also started both kids on Zantac for their reflux. It seems to be helping already, but boy, that stuff surely does smell bad. And H&H hate the taste of it. They took their first trip out of state today. We went to visit my good friend Susan and her family in West Monroe, LA, today. They had a great time, and of course, I enjoyed showing them off. Please remember our dr appts in your prayers this week. I promise to update Thursday evening with news from the dr's office. Check out the Sept gallery for new pics!

Jay's Christening

I added one new pic to September from an incident that happened last night between Jay & Hayden. ** Yuck factor: 8 **

Sorry about the delay.

New pics are in the September gallery! Enjoy!

Labor Day weekend

I hope everyone had a good Labor Day holiday. I know we enjoyed the day off. We spent the weekend in McComb and had a great time. Hank talks up a storm now. He just babbles on and on. Hayden won't take her feet out of her mouth long enough to try to say anything. She is constantly pulling off her socks and sucking her toes. She is the early bird--waking up first each morning. She wakes me up by talking and playing in her bed about 7:30. The toes of her footed PJs are usually soaking wet from being in her mouth. Hank thinks everything is funny now. He laughs and smiles all of the time. We are practicing using the sippy cup now, and Hayden loves it. Hank isn't quite sure about it. Hayden also loves to "feed herself". She holds my hand while I'm holding the spoon, and she guides the spoon to her mouth pretty well. This is how I keep her interested in eating--otherwise, she fights the spoon. She'd eat 4 jars of baby food if I let her feed herself--Miss Independent! Hank doesn't want to help feed himself. He just sits with his mouth wide open waiting for the next bite. He's so laid back. I weighed them at my Nanny's--Hank was 14 lbs. 7 oz. and Hayden was 12 lbs. They are really close to sitting up. They do very well with a little support. I took some pics this weekend and I hope to have them uploaded by Tuesday afternoon, so y'all check back. Please continue to remember Hank's neurosurgeon visit on the 23rd in your prayers. Thanks for checking in!

Better late than never

There are new pics in the August gallery. Yes, I know it's September, but I just got the film developed, and the pictures are from a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

I know, I know...

It's been forever since I've updated. We've been super busy, and I'm sorry I haven't found the time to update. I found out yesterday that Hank will see Dr. Parent at UMC in Jackson on Sept. 23. I'm not sure exactly what he's going to want to do--if he'll want to do his own CT scan or what. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Hayden & Hank both suck their thumbs now--only when they're sleepy, though. And Hayden loves to suck on her toes. Hank's not as limber as she is, and his feet don't quite make it to his mouth, but he tries. They've moved on to green veggies and love their peas. Hayden has become a great eater. She really likes the spoon now. Hank has discovered that he can suck on his bottom lip and chooses to do so when he's tired of eating. That way we can't get the spoon in. We are headed to McComb this weekend, and we'll weigh them on my Nanny's scales, so we'll have some weights for you on Monday. I hope to take some more pictures while we're down there, too, so check back next week for new pics. Have a great holiday weekend!

Hank's head

Hank's dr called and said she'd like to refer us to a pediatric neurosurgeon at UMC in Jackson. She's not alarmed, but it does appear that his ventricles are larger than they were, and she's more comfortable letting a specialist check him out. She's going to call and see if they can work us in sometime soon, but it could be a month or more she said. He's doing great developmentally, bringing his hands together at his chest, pulling toys to his mouth, sitting with support, rolling over, and babbling, so we aren't too worried, but we are concerned. We'll keep you informed. Hayden has found her feet. Last night, Jay and I kept hearing this thumping noise...scared us to death. We thought someone was trying to break in. Nope. Just Hayden playing with her feet then dropping them back down to flop on the mattress. She also kicks her little aquarium thing that's attached to the side of her bed and will turn it on in the middle of the night. Hank loves the "Oobi" show on the Noggin channel. He literally squeals the entire time it's on. Oobi is just a hand with some eyeballs on top of it, but he's always been fascinated with hands, so I guess that's what does it for him. It's hilarious to watch him watch Oobi. Y'all have a great week!

So proud of Hank...

Hank was such a big boy yesterday for his CT scan (also their 7 mo. birthday!). He didn't cry or squirm or anything. We got the results this evening, and we're just not sure what to make of them yet. His ventricles are dilated, which usually isn't good, but Dr. Smith needs to see his old scans to compare. She said that they do look enlarged, but she's not sure if they are still in proportion to what they've always been or what. So, I've got to drive over to Jackson and get his old scans for the neurologist to look at. Please put Hank's head back on your prayer list until we can get some good news once they've had a chance to look over his records. Other than that, everything is great. They've tried squash and sweet potatoes now, and Hayden is still none too thrilled with the whole spoon idea. She still likes to just lick it rather than open up. Hank gobbles down whatever is put before him. Thanks for checking in, and I'll let you know as soon as we have more news on Hank.

Another dr appt

Our dr appt went really well today. Hank weighed 13-10, and Hayden was 11-8. Dr Smith was very pleased with their progress, especially their developmental skills and said they'd probably be sitting up in a month or so! She gave us the go-ahead for yellow veggies, so they had carrots for dinner. Hank ate them right up--opening his mouth and everything. Hayden didn't want to open her mouth, she just wanted to stick her tongue out and lick the carrots off of the spoon. We filmed the whole dinner, too. It was pretty funny. Just as a check-up, Hank will have a CT scan on Tuesday. His head hasn't been looked at since we left Baptist, so she just wants to check him out and make sure there's not an increase of fluid in his ventricles or any swelling. Please pray that we get good results. Hayden was a little congested today--apparently, so little that I hadn't even noticed. Dr Smith gave us some medicine that Hayden does NOT like. It was so much fun giving it to her tonight (note the sarcasm). Both are sleeping soundly now after a very busy and stressful day (both got 2 shots). Now it's my bedtime--hope I can sleep as well as they are!

Hank's better now.

He was one pitiful little boy for a few days, but we're over that hump! Both kids have a regular check-up on Wednesday, so we'll get the official word that he's well then. We think Hayden may have gotten a touch of it, but we aren't certain. They are getting so big and more fun everyday. I've posted new black and white pics under August 2004, so check them out!!!

Hank's first illness

We had to take Hank to the dr today. He had a little fever and was very fussy. It turned out that he has a viral sore throat, and we just have to wait it out. Right now, Tylenol seems to be doing the trick, and he feels much better. The real task is going to be keeping Hayden from catching it. He weighed 13 lbs. 2 oz. with clothes and diaper on today. Y'all pray that he gets over this thing--hard to believe we've gone 3 1/2 months without any sickness. The dr said that was pretty good. I guess it has to happen sometime. Going to my kitchen/laboratory to make bottles. It's not nearly as bad as it used to be. We only make 8 bottles a night rather than the 12 we started out with. Plus, we only add formula and cereal to the bottles--not quite the concoction of a month or so ago. Thank goodness--life's getting a little simpler!!!

Roly-poly

Hank finally rolled over! Nobody actually witnessed it, but our sitter said that she put him down in his bed on his belly, and she checked on him later, and he was on his back. He's been pretty close over the past week, so we knew he ought to be doing it soon. He and Hayden are both beginning to try to hold their bottles, and Hayden is starting to discover her feet. They both have the cutest laughs and are so much fun to be around. We go to the doctor on the 11th, so we'll have new weights then. We can't wait to see how much they weigh. Since they are on regular formula now, we don't expect a huge weight jump, but you never know. Thanks for checking up. I hope to take some pics this weekend in McComb, so check back next week for new ones.

First swim

H&H are doing great. They went swimming for the first time Friday night. They loved it. They weren't quite sure what to do, but they kicked and had a good time. They love their baths so much that we thought they'd enjoy the pool, too. I fed Hank with a spoon the other night. What a mess we made! He really likes it now. We're only doing cereal and will start veggies in a few weeks. Hayden doesn't like the spoon, but we're still working on it. Their sitter started working last week. She's been great, and the kids don't seem to notice that someone different is taking care of them. They sleep 12 hours straight at night with several naps during the day. Of course, they started sleeping through the night just as I went back to work and Jay took over. How unfair is that??? We won't have new weights for a couple of weeks, but I think Hank is about 13 lbs and Hayden is about 10 1/2. I can't believe they're so big now. For Christmas I'm getting each of them a doll that is custom made to their birth size, so we'll always have a reminder of how small they were when they were born. I think it will be a nice keepsake for them to show their own children and grandchildren. Am I thinking ahead or what? Y'all have a great week!

6 months old

We had a great visit in McComb this weekend while Jay was fishing in South Louisiana. Hank put on a show for everyone--he is "talking" up a storm now. How I wish I knew what he is trying to say! Hayden is a sassy little thing who flirts just enough to get her way. She is spoiled rotten, but is so precious with the sweetest grin that you can't help but give in to whatever she wants. We are really going to have our hands full with her. The twins were 6 months old on Saturday. I can't believe they are already half a year old, but then again it seems like eons ago when Jay & I made that trip to Jackson, not realizing we'd be parents of two tiny babies the next day. Whew--what a ride it's been! Thanks to everyone who continues to check up on our family after all this time. There are many of you whom we don't even know, yet you are so precious to us. H&H wouldn't be doing so well without you!

Send in the clowns...

Well, he certainly took his time getting a personality, but Hank has turned into such a little clown. He laughs and smiles at us now, almost constantly, and this only started Sunday night. He is so much fun. And Hayden-all it takes is a little eye contact, and Hayden pours on the charm. She grins and sticks her tongue out, flirting with anyone who'll give her the attention. They are both getting so strong--they hold their heads up really well when on their tummies and love to "stand up" when you hold them in your lap. Hank is still much bigger than her, as you can tell by the last picture in the July photo gallery. I took that shot of them on the floor in just their diapers so you could see the size difference. You can really tell it when you hold them--2 pounds is a lot!

Zzzzzzzzzz

H&H are such great sleepers! We put them to bed around 10 each night, and they sleep until nearly 10 the next morning. Then they eat and go back to sleep for another 4 hours. It's wonderful! Hayden is still her laughing, smiling self--she loves interacting with people and watching their facial expressions change. Hank is not amused by people for the most part. He'd rather sit in his bouncy seat and grab and tug at his link-a-doos that dangle from a toy bar above. He will laugh and talk like crazy, but the minute he catches us watching him he clams up. They're both really funny kids. I put some new pictures under July 2004 Photos. Enjoy!

Hallelujah!

The thing I've been waiting for finally happened yesterday! Don't get too excited, though. It won't be nearly as earth-shattering for you as it was for us. Hank put his pacifier back in his mouth by himself 3 times yesterday! I've told several people that some people can't wait 'til their kids walk or talk... I just wanted mine to pick up their pacifiers and put them back in, and finally Hank did it! Of course, once I got the camera out he didn't do it again, but oh well. We went to McComb for the July 4th holiday weekend and had a great time. H&H got to meet some family from Austin, TX, at a get-together on the 4th. They even put their little toes in the swimming pool for the first time. We are getting them out more and more, but we're still very careful about getting near small children. Kids under two are like "germ warfare" according to our doctor. Yesterday, H&H met more family from Kilgore, TX. They are so good around strangers and tend to be comfortable in anyone's arms. I'm going to try to get better at updating this site, but there's so much going on now, yet nothing really significant--just everyday stuff. But I know that some of you need your "twin fix" each morning, so I'll do my best to update more regularly. Thanks for thinking about us!

On to regular formula!

Our dr appt went well. She is very pleased with both babies' progress. Hank weighed 12 lbs., and Hayden was 9 lbs. 15 oz. She has taken us off the high-calorie formula they were on, and they'll now be drinking regular formula. She also said they can have some oatmeal in addition to the rice cereal they are already getting. Thanks for checking in!

A vacation - right down the road

H&H spent their first night in a hotel room last night. We had a really quick but bad storm come through Vicksburg yesterday, and our power was out for 18 hours. We got a room so we could keep their bottles cool and warm them up for feedings, and just for overall comfort. It didn't phase the babies at all, but Jay & I didn't sleep a wink. We're not used to sleeping in the same room with them, so we heard every grunt and snort. Hank found his grin on Saturday. He'd been smiling some, but not regularly or in response to us. Now he does, but he's still stingy with them, which makes his grins extra special. Hayden smiles all of the time and is in the best mood when she first wakes up (she doesn't get that from her parents!). We have a dr appt on Wed. so we'll have updated weights then. Have a great week!

Happy Father's Day to Jay!

The babies are doing great. Hank is sleeping through the night consistently, now. Hayden does it, too, but not as regularly. She did last night, though. I think Hank is between 11.5 and 12 pounds. Hayden is between 9.5 and 10 pounds. We go back to the dr next week, so I'll have definite weights then. I'm back at work full-time now, so Jay is at home with the twins. We've found someone to keep the kids when school starts, and we are so excited about her. Thanks to everyone who was praying for this need. I took some cute pics this weekend and will try to post them this evening. Y'all have a great week.

Finally!

H&H slept all night last night--a whole 8 hours straight!!! We fed them at midnight (we're late-night people, so we're always still up at midnight) then put them down and went to sleep. At 7 a.m. I bolted straight up in bed and freaked out. I ran in their room to make sure they were still breathing, and of course they were. So I went back to bed until they woke us up at 8. Hallelujah! It may not happen again for a while, but at least we know they are capable of it. We're about to go get our baths--they both love them. I put their tubs up on the bathroom counter, and they watch themselves in the mirror and splash having the best time. Since we can't really go anywhere and do anything, I let their bathtime be their special fun time. I let them make the biggest mess, and I get sopping wet, and I don't care. Maybe I'll take some bath pics this week and post them. Thanks for checking in! Have a great week!

Mr. Mom

We're still doing great. I started back to work part-time this week. Jay's at home with the twins. He's having to get up with them at night, and he's exhausted. I think they realize that it's Daddy that's taking care of them, and they've ganged up on him. They haven't been the best babies the past couple of nights, and I hope it gets better soon, since I know exactly what Jay's going through. We think we may have found someone who will keep the kids when school starts back. She comes very highly recommended, and we're going to meet with her today. Thanks to everyone who've been praying that this need be met. I hope it works out!!!

Time flies...

Can y'all believe it's June already??? Time sure flies! Everyone is doing great. Just wanted to say that I've re-organized the photo links below. No new pics since the last update on Sunday, though. Have a fun day!