Exciting News

Well, things have gotten very exciting in the Hanna household over the past couple of weeks. About two weeks ago, Michael and I found out that we expecting baby number three!! My official due date (as of right now) is April 18, 2011. Of course, we all know that the baby will come when he/she is good and ready. LOL. There is no way that we could be more excited!! We have tried to explain to the girls that in a few months they will both be big sisters. Rory has decided that she wants a sister. Abby has decided that there is no need for another sister since "I alweddy got a siser!" I don't know if that means she wants a brother or if she thinks we have plenty of kids around here already. There's just no telling with that little girl!! :)

The girls are both doing fabulous!! Abby hasn't had any health problems at all here lately. I think that we finally found the solution and that the sleep apnea medication is helping her more and more every day. We will go in for a weight check next week to check her out and see how she is doing. Rory is just going as strong as ever. There are days that I just stand in awe at how she can just keep going and going without stopping. She's a busy little girl. Both girls are learning more and more everyday. Sometimes, they shock me with the things that they have learned and understand. They can both count to ten by themselves. Yesterday, Rory counted to twelve and then laughed at me when my mouth was just hanging open. They can also count to 100 by tens. They can both sing their ABC's and looooove to read books with Mommy and Daddy. I bet we read 50 books a day!! Abby's favorite book in the whole world right now is "I Love You Stinky Face." We have read it so much that she can recite every word on each page and then turn the page at the right point. I know that she's reciting the story, but it's almost like she's reading it. LOL. On August 30, the girls will both start gymnastics. They are so excited!! Both girls are little monkeys and climb all over the place. I think they are going to do fantastic in gymnastics. I just can't believe that they are old enough to be in a class. Where does the time go?

The Crazy Life

Abby cheesin' in her Tink towel

Rory getting warm after her swimming lesson

Rory and Abby got a chance to take their swimming lesson class with their cousin, Emma.  The three girls had such a good time swimming together.

Abby climbing out of the pool all by herself.  Note that her Daddy isn't too far behind her, though.

Big Abby Cheesy

That's one proud Daddy

I debated on whether or not to share this particular picture, but decided that it displays perfectly how Rory makes me feel around water.  LOL

Rory was so excited that her Grandad got a chance to come watch her swim.  She hasn't stopped talking about it yet. :)

Rory waving to her audience

Look at Abby swimming!!!

Daddy's ready for Rory to jump

The Hanna family waiting to get in the pool

Michael walking with Emma, Rory and Abby to the park.  What a great guy!!

After swimming lessons, we took the girls (all three) to the park so that they could have time to play together.  Each day, we had a picnic and then played until it was time to go home for naps.  We all had such a great time!!

Abby Hanna, Rory Hanna and Emma Hassell.... Cousins

Emma is one month older than the girls.  They love spending time together.

Abby riding the bumblebee

Rory riding a Toucan

Rory loved playing in the "FO" (UFO) at the park

One of our little monkeys

Sister Fun

Wow, I can't believe that it's been a month since my last post. Life has gotten so crazy around the Hanna house that I don't know where to begin.

The girls are doing wonderful. We took Abby in last week for a weight check and found out that she has gained almost 1 1/2 lb. in four weeks!! She now weighs 24.6 lbs!! We are so excited that she is doing better. The doctors have concluded that she has obstructive sleep apnea. Her adenoids are larger than normal and cause her trouble breathing when she is sleeping. Because she has trouble breathing, her body wakes her up so that she gets enough air. So, she hasn't been getting the proper amount of sleep and that has messed up the chemistry of her entire little body. Her pediatrician put her on a medication to help shrink her adenoids at night and it has worked wonders for her!! She is sleeping. She is eating better. She is gaining weight. She hasn't been sick. Her vocabulary has exploded. She is coming out of her shell. She's just a whole new Abby!! We can tell that she is feeling 100% better!! What a blessing!! Rory is doing well, as usual. She is a mess. We never quite know what she is going to do or say. She is a very impulsive child with so many ideas running through her head all at the same time. She keeps us on our toes.

For the past week, the girls have been attending swimming lessons at the local university. They have had a blast getting to go swimming every day. The class is intended to teach the kiddos (ages 6 months to 3 years) basic water safety and basic swimming techniques. The girls both quickly mastered getting in and out of the pool and were ready to move on to the task of learning to swim. Rory has picked up the basics so fast. Abby has discovered that she loves putting her face in the water. LOL. Many times, the instructors have just shaken their heads because they don't know exactly what to do with the girls. They are both ready to go every day. I think this was the perfect class for them. I know that they are both going to miss it, but it's been a good week. As a fun end to the swimming lessons, the swim instructors turned on the 20 ft. tall water slide today so that the kids (along with their parents) could try out the slide.  The girls loved going down the slide!!  Michael and I are so glad that the girls have picked up on the water safety aspect of the class so quickly. We want to ensure that the girls are as safe as possible around water and this is the best way we could do that.

Michael and I decided that it was about time to really hit the potty training hard at our house. Frankly, we're tired of changing diapers. It does get pretty old after a while. Especially with two. With all of Abby's health issues, we have been lax about potty training. Since Abby is doing so much better and Michael is still off for the summer, we decided that now would be the perfect time to really get serious about potty training. The girls have shown every sign of being ready, so, about a week ago, we got out the "big girl" panties and started training. We have been amazed at how fast they are picking it up. We have actually had a few days that were accident free!! Of course, we are not having them sleep in panties yet, but there have been mornings that they have woken up dry. We are so proud of the progress that both girls are making!! It won't be long until the Hanna house is a diaper free zone!!

Vacation Bible School 2010

The girls with Papa and Mimi Cinda after their program

The girls with Grandad and Mimi Sue after the program

Abby was sooo glad her Gigi got a chance to come to her program

Rory, Jon-Jon and Jakie playing after Parents' Night was over

Abby and Jon-Jon giving each other a hug.  

The Merriss Family

Rory leaping off the stage during their songs

Rory wasn't getting enough attention while she was on the stage with her class, so she jumped off the stage and stood in front of everyone.  She's not our little performer at all.... LOL

Braxton got a chance to come to VBS with us, too.  He had such a good time!!

Rory and Abby singing the "Bumble-Bee Song" with their VBS class

Rory and Abby during their music program

Last week, the girls attended Vacation Bible School at Lifeway Fellowship Baptist Church with their friends, Jonathan and Jacob Merriss.  They had a blast!!  The theme was the Saddle Ridge Ranch where they are "Roundin' up Questions and Drivin' Home Answers."  It was a very cute western theme and we got to listen to a lot of "yee-haw" at our house.  The girls even liked to show off their "Cowboy strut" around the house.  During the week, the kiddos learned different Bible stories that helped them to answer different questions about God's plan for their life.  The girls got a chance to participate in daily music time, as well.  At the end of the week, the VBS kids put on a program to show their parents what they had learned at VBS.  The girls' class sang "This Little Light of Mine" and the "Bumble-Bee Song."  Abby wasn't too sure about the whole idea of singing in front of a large group of adults, but Rory ate up the attention.  She was singing, doing the motions and, when she didn't feel like she had enough attention on herself, she jumped off the stage to stand in front of her entire class.  She had no problem with the attention (big surprise there).  It was a very cute program and all of the kids did a wonderful job!!  The girls had a blast at their first Vacation Bible School ever.  I know they will look forward to going again next summer!!

Summer Fun

Our puppy, Toby, watching the water fun far enough away that he won't get wet.  I think he was nervous about the possibility of ending up in the pool.  He didn't, though.

The girls have always enjoyed being in the water, but ever since they went swimming at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Arkansas, we can't keep them away from the water.  So, in an attempt to keep everything in our bathroom from being ruined by the huge amounts of water leaving the tub during splash fights, Michael and I bought the girls their own pool for our backyard.  It's not a huge pool (just one of those small snap-side pools), but the girls have a blast going "schlimmin" (swimming).  I think they would sleep out there if we would let them.  They are constantly asking if we can go outside and play in the pool.  We have signed them up for swimming lessons next month and know that they are going to love it.  I'm scared not to get lessons for Rory, especially, since she has no fear of the water whatsoever.  She dives right in head first and has no problem going under the water and getting her face wet.  Abby is a little more cautious, but not much.  I think we have two little fish on our hands.  

Our Trip

Rory and Abby breaking in the new hotel bed the first night we were in Plano.  No, they are not allowed to jump on the bed, but they were having so much fun and they had been bouncing off the walls in the hotel rooms, so we let them have at it.

The pajamas that Rory is wearing are some that Shandra had when she was little.  These are Rory's new favorite pajamas.  She calls them her pretty princess jammies.

I don't volunteer to sleep with Abby because she takes her half of the bed right out of the middle.  She does like her space when she sleeps. You wouldn't think such a small girl could take up so much of a bed.  LOL

We took a trip to Arkansas/the Dallas area over the past two weeks.  We were able to see family members that we haven't seen in a long time and to have some fun with our family and friends.  The reason for the stop in the Dallas area, though, was to take Abby to Children's Medical Center to have more tests run.  So far, we haven't gotten any of the results from those tests, but we are thankful that they are done and all we have to do now is wait.  We had such a nice time visiting with our family and having fun.  Even though we had a more serious purpose for our trip, our friends and family helped us turn it into a nice vacation that we were all able to enjoy a great deal!!!  All I can say to everyone is "thank you more than you know."

Cowboy Stadium

The Greatest Stadium in the World

Michael at the top of the stadium

The Ballpark at Arlington from the top of Cowboys Stadium

Felix Jones... Need I say more?

Helmets from the Cotton Bowl conference teams.  The Cotton Bowl was hosted at Cowboys Stadium this past season.   Michael was very excited to see Baylor's helmet at the top of the group.  :)

Daddy enjoying his executive suite tour

The giant screen from the executive suite.  They have a pretty nice view!!

The executive suite we got a chance to tour

Daddy and his little fans in the end zone

Mommy and her girls in the end zone!

Running for the end zone!!!!!!!!!!

Abby loved running up and down the field

Abby headed to tackle Daddy

Rory running a route... :)

Abby cheesin' for Mommy

Two big Dallas fans!!

Daddy and his girls on the field

Rory just taking it all in

Michael and the girls in the tunnel where the players come out onto the field

Michael at the Locker Room Star

Michael with Tony Romo's locker

Marion Barber is one of my very favorite players.  This was too cool!!

I was very excited to get to see Tony's locker

Rory, Abby and Tony's Locker

Michael as close as he will ever be to being on the team... LOL

The tunnel to the Miller Lite Club

The Miller Lite Club

Rory doing her touchdown dance

The 50 yard line

Michael catching a ball at the 30 yard line

Michael throwing an actual football at Cowboys Stadium

Just me and Tom

Michael with Tom

The dedication sign on Tom Landry's statue

Dallas Cowboy Stadium... Isn't it beautiful!!!??!!

Rory is worn out

Abby is so tired after her tour of the stadium

I just liked this "lovers lane" sign.  It made me laugh.

As many of you know, Michael and I are Dallas Cowboys fans through and through.  We have already started grooming our girls to be huge Dallas fans, as well.  We thought that since we were going to be in the area for a few days, we would take a day to tour the new Cowboys Stadium.  It was amazing!!!!  We took a VIP tour of the entire stadium.  Our tour included the executive suites, the press box, the Dallas Cowboys locker room, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader locker room, the field, the Miller Lite Club and the post-game interview area.  We got a chance to take pictures inside the locker room where our favorite players prepare for their games.  The girls loved going out onto the actual football field.  Rory had to run into the end zone to make a "touchdown!!"  When she threw her hands in the air and screamed "touchdown," everyone around us couldn't help but laugh. Both girls had so much fun running up and down (and across) the field "playing football."  It was amazing to get a chance to tour the stadium.  I hope we get a chance to go to a game in the new stadium before too long!!