Just Some Random Pictures

Rory and Abby trying to get Daddy to wake up

Just sittin' in our toy baskets

Big cheesy smiles from Rory

Rory laying on the second shelf of the changing table waiting for assistance

Rory climbed onto the second shelf and then couldn't get back down

Rory and Abby reading a book by themselves in their room

Sister Hide-N-Seek

Abby helping Daddy put away the play yard

Rory's such a big help

Playing on their new slide

Abby loves to swing

Pump those legs Rory!!!

This was the first time that the girls saw their swing set after Daddy put it together for them!! They love to play on it!!

Isn't Rory getting so tall? She's 33 in. now.

Silly girls posing for the camera!!

18 Months... Not Possible!!

Aurora Lynn Hanna

18 months

Abigail Lee Hanna

18 months

Rory in her pretty red outfit!


Abby in her pretty red outfit!! She was not happy with us, so we got a picture of her famous "pooky" face!!

Our Beautiful Family

We can't believe that our angels are 1 1/2 yrs. Not possible!! Rory now weighs 24.4 lbs. and is 33 in. tall. The doctor said that she is perfectly proportioned and going to probably be a tall girl. She is way ahead of the game on her vocabulary and physical develpment. Abby now weighs 19 lbs. and is 31 in. tall. Her tubes look to be doing great!! She is also ahead of the game on her vocabulary (you can't believe how much she has started saying since she had the tubes put in her ears) and is doing awesome with her physical develpment.

Both girls are doing so much and changing so much every single day that there is no way that I could write about everything. Both girls talk so much and so plain that some people can't believe that they are only 18 months. We get so tickled at Rory who will just start babbling all of the sudden (with a few words thrown in) just like she is really giving someone a chewing out. Both girls can pretty much tell us what they want and when they want it. They talk in phrases now. They will say things like "who there?" or "I want that." They pick up so many words each day that it is amazing!! Their pediatrician was amazed at their vocabulary when we went in for their 18 month check-up. She told us that they should not be talking like they are quite yet and that she is amazed by them every time that we come in to see her. Both girls run constantly and love to climb on EVERYTHING!! We call Abby our little spider monkey because that child can climb on things that she just shouldn't be able to climb on. Both girls are very oppinionated (wonder where they get that from). They both LOVE books. Oh mylanta!! They are constantly bringing books to us to read and can even tell us what some of the pages say from repetition. It's too funny!! Their favorite book (which we have all probably read 100 million times) is "Daddy Hugs." It tells all the different kinds of hugs that daddies give to their babies while also teaching counting. Rory loves to count as we turn the page and act out the type of hug on that page. It's too adorable!! Both girls can show us where their eyes, nose, mouth, ears and belly buttons are. They can also show each one of those places on other people and animals (we have practiced on their Great-Grandparents' puppy, Liddy). Both girls are fascinated with belly buttons right now. They call them "buttons." They love to explore everyone's belly button. They know animal sounds for puppies, kitties, ducks, birds, horses, lions, frogs and probably some other animals that I am forgetting. They absolutely love their "pishes" (fish) and tell us all about what the fish are up to every day. It's so much fun to watch!! Abby even named their red beta "bubbles." Every time she sees him, she points to him and says "bubbles!" Both girls know their letter sounds through the letter "g," which I think is a pretty amazing accomplishment (I may be bias). They can both count to 3 without any assistance at all!! Both of them can sing "This Little Light of Mine" and "Deep and Wide" while doing the motions. I could just go on and on about all of the fun things and new discoveries that we have each day at our house. It is so amazing to watch the girls learn and grow each day!! Michael and I are blessed beyond measure to have such amazing children and thank the Lord every day for the blessings that He has given to our family.

Fab Five "Family" Reunion 2009

The Whole Group

Merriss Family (Texas): John, Jennifer, Jonathan and Jacob

Hanna Family (Texas): Michael, Taira, Aurora and Abigail

Campbell Family (S. Carolina): Daniel, Marcia and Lizzie

Neie Family (Louisiana): Daniel, Nikki, Natalie and Ryan

Birkenfeld Family (Kansas): Kyle (not in the pic), Yesenia, Chevii and Linkin

(left to right)

The original "Fab Five": Nikki, Michael, Daniel, John and Yesenia

Rory having a blast at the reunion

All of the 1 yr. olds having a collective tantrum. They did not like being gated.


Look at all those kids

Ryan... What a sweet little boy!!

Hello Friends!! (Natalie and Jonathan)

There is just too much going on in this picture to explain... LOL

Jennifer and Jacob Merriss

I would call this one full house!!

Natalie pushing her brother, Ryan, in the swing!!

Lizzie playing in the playhouse

Swinging fun!! (Jonathan, Natalie and Ryan)

Abby loving her swing

Lizzie ridin' the horse Texas style!

Rory chillin' in the empty pool with Jacob

Jacob and Rory solving the world's problems

Aunt Marcia found out what happens when twins want the same thing.... chaos!!

Look how flexible Lizzie is. Oh to be that flexible!!

Three pretty little girls!!

Michael's best friends from high school, John, Daniel, Nikki and Yesenia, and their families all came to town for a reunion. I don't think that the five of them had been all together at one time since high school (I could be wrong, though). All in all, we had 9 adults and 9 children together for pretty much a week. Five of the children were 1 yr. - 1 1/2 yr. It was crazy!! It was so much fun to see everyone and get to meet some people that we had never met. Nikki and her family stayed with us at our home from Monday evening to Friday morning. The girls had a blast having company and loved their kiddos, Natalie and Ryan. Ryan is only about 3 weeks older than the girls, so they thought is was awesome to have another playmate for the week that was about their same age. On Wednesday morning, we all went together to have our pictures made at a studio here in town. It was insane, but the pictures turned out fabulous!! That evening, we all met at Yesenia's in-laws' house for a big reunion get-together. We are so glad that we got a chance to get together with everyone and are already missing our friends. We love them all like they are our family. Actually, we do consider them part of our family and can't wait to get together again soon!!

What a Sweet Moment

I don't have any new pictures to share right now, but I will soon! I did want to share a very special moment that I had the awesome chance to experience with Abby yesterday. Michael, the girls and I went shopping for a little while just to get out of the house for a bit and spend some time together. We went into a clothing store where I like to buy clothes for myself. Rory was with her Daddy looking around, so Abby and I went into the dressing room so that I could try on some outfits that I found. In the dressing room, there was a three-way mirror across one full wall. Abby was twirling and playing while I tried on the clothes. Then, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She walked to the mirror and pointed at the pretty little girl in the reflection saying "sisser (sister), Momma, sisser." I got down beside her and said, "No, Abby. That's Abby. Aren't you a pretty little girl?" She looked a little confused and said "No, sisser Momma." Again, I explained that it was Abby in the mirror and not Rory. She studied her reflection and it was like a light came on in her mind. She looked at me and then back at the mirror and said "It's Abby, Momma!! Abby pitty (pretty)!!" All I could do was hug my precious angel and tell her that she was right. Abby is so pretty!! It was such a special moment for me to get a chance to share with her. I love sharing special one-on-one moments with each of the girls!! Today, every time that she has seen her reflection in the mirror, she has said "It's Abby!!" She's so excited to know that it's herself in the mirror that she can see!!

Zoo Time

Headed on a Zoo Adventure!!

The peacock was walking around checking everyone out

"Here Kitty Kitty" ~Rory


The girls in front of the bear enclosure

Rory wanted to hug the "kitty." We decided that leaving the skunk alone was a better idea!

Daddy and Rory having fun at the zoo

Mommy and Abby checking out the donkeys

Rory checking out the baby goat

Jonathan Merriss looking getting an up-close view of the animals

The Adventure Crew

John, Jennifer, Jonathan and Jacob Merriss

Jonathan and his Daddy, John, checking out the tortoise

Rory really wanted to jump into the enclosures with the animals

Abby was content where she was at

Jacob Merriss... Look at that grin

Abby was fascinated by the "punkies"

The girls absolutely love animals of any kind. So, we decided it was time to take them on a zoo adventure. We got up this morning and went to the City Zoo with our good friends, The Merriss Family. The girls loved it!! When we walked in the front gate, they immediately saw the monkey enclosure. Abby immediately started getting excited and yelled "puppies!!" After we all stopped giggling, I explained to her that they were called "monkeys." From then on, she called them "punkies." She such a smart little girl! The monkeys were by far her favorite animal in the whole zoo. Rory, on the other hand, was fascinated by the lions. She kept saying "here kitty kitty" and then growling at them when they turned to look at her. That little girl has no fear in her at all. She wanted desperately to love on the kitty. She scares me at times!! At one point, we found the goat enclosure. One of the little goats came right up to the fence to check us all out. When I sat Abby down by the fence, she flipped out... started screaming and practically climbed up my leg. She was not a fan of the goat being that close to her. Rory, however, was fascinated by the goat and wanted to pet it and love on it. She talked to the goat through the fence and her Daddy had to keep her from sticking her hand through the fence to pet it. Like I said... no fear. All in all, we had a really good time. We wrapped up the outing with a fun lunch at McDonalds. The kids and parents alike were all ready for some down-time and nap time. It's so nice to have friends close by with kiddos about the same age. It makes for fun outings!!