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...