Happy Easter!

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

-Psalm 118:24

Happy Easter from the Harrisons!

Firefly 5K

Our first K's for Keegan is in the books!  Despite some crummy weather and our plans not coming together as we hoped, we had a really fun time at the Firefly 5K last night.  

Kristin and Tanner getting ready to race.

Starting to light up the night

Our little K's for Keegan team

Logan's glowing!

Todd, Marci, and Gray

Logan, Tanner, and Kristin

The weather turned cold and rained most of the day.  We made a last minute decision to leave the kids at home, which I think was a good one.  Our tshirts didn't come in time, and we had a much smaller team than I had pictured.  However, the seven of us had a wonderful time.  The race atmosphere was really fun, and it was a successful fundraiser for Children's.  Last week, Gray and I were asked to be the patient-family representatives for the race, and we were privileged to judge the fun costume contest after the race.  

I had a horrible race and felt terrible, but I still managed to take 3rd in my age group.  That's probably the last night race that I actually try to race, rather than just run for fun.  I wasn't prepared, and let's be honest, I'm usually half-asleep on the couch by that time of night!  My legs felt like lead, but my ankle felt much better than I anticipated.  I'm praying it stays that way because I'm ready to feel good again.  This was my fourth race of the "13 in 2013".  Only 9 more to go!  It's been a very rocky start to the year for me as far as racing goes.  Not unlike how some times for Keegan are much rockier than we hope they ever would be.  So fingers crossed that, just like Keegan, this is the start of a much better time for me.

Our biggest thanks go out to our friends who came out to support us and spend the cold, drizzly evening with us: Marci, Todd, Kristin, Logan, and Tanner.  We honestly cannot say thank you enough.  We are trying to find out when we can do it again this year!  

Because I'm tired...

this is the best post you're gonna get this week.  Sorry, peeps!

Look closely...there's one missing.

Tinkerbell in Mama's shoes

"Isn't I lovely?"

Poor bubby.

Being a good sport and letting her practice her make-up skills.

Nails too.

"See?  You beautiful!"

K's expression is my favorite part of this picture.

Well, that was our exciting Spring Break.  Here's hoping yours was slightly more adventurous!  

Also, it's only one week until the Firefly Run.  If you are still interested in registering, please let me know, although all coupons have now expired.  Since so few signed up, we will postpone a K's for Keegan tshirt group order until later.  We also learned this week that the other run we were planning on fundraising for this year, the Red Balloon Run and Ride, has been rescheduled for next year.  I'm back to rethinking the schedule and will have to come up with another K's for Keegan event.  Make-A-Wish has changed their 5K race to a walk, and unfortunately, I had already registered for a different race for that weekend.  I am running the full Dallas Marathon this year, but maybe we could come up with enough runners to have a relay team too?  I don't know.  I will look at other 5Ks I am personally racing, but there aren't many others that allow for specific fundraising or causes relevant to Keegan's journey.  Thank you as always for your support.  We'll figure it out and will update as soon as possible.

The tooth

Keegan lost his first baby tooth tonight.  Not exactly the joyous childhood milestone most children have.  He was completely and utterly devastated.  "I NEEEED my toof!!!  Put it BAAAACCKKK!!" Of course, Audrey was her sweet, comforting little self during his meltdown.  "It's ok, Bubby.  The toof fairy brings you coins for you piggy bank!  You want a booboo bandaid, Bubby?  Mama, he needs a Cars booboo to feel better.  Cars is his favorite."

Mention of the tooth fairy and the mere presence of the "pillow pirate" (a plush pirate that holds the teeth in his treasure chest) served only to heighten his distress.  Not to mention the fact that I had to hold pressure on it to stop the bleeding (steroids cause clotting problems).  We knew he would not like it when the darn thing finally fell out, but this was a meltdown of epic proportions.  Dare I say, it was worse than the night he realized the pacifiers were gone for good....no, not quite.  I am very glad though that we took the pacis before the tooth came out.  He would have been up all night distraught that he couldn't suck on it because of the hole!  Not to say he won't be up all night distraught anyway. The worst part about the tooth is that it will be a constant aggravation until it grows back in.  Yippee.

Speaking of the pacifier disappearance, that has gone slightly better than we anticipated.  Audrey doesn't even make mention of it at all.  She is having some slight problems going down for her nap but that's about it.  Keegan still asks every night.  He no longer gets upset though when we tell him they're gone.  He is having some difficulty with waking up early in the morning though.  Very fun.  Of course, the great test will be the first inpatient stay.  However, we couldn't be happier with how it has gone so far.

Frosting face from her cookie celebrating sleeping through the night the first night post-paci!

New do!

We also had to increase Keegan's TPN to three nights per week.  It's not a big change, but it certainly feels like a step back.  Oh, and I'm going to start doing some legal work from home again.  So lots of changes in the Harrison house these days.  Mama's ready for some changes that involve more sleep for us all, but I suppose that will have to wait.  Hey, at least we are home.  I will take that any day...sleep or no sleep!

First K's for Keegan Run!

Our first Team K's for Keegan race of 2013 will be the Firefly Run in Plano on the night of March 23, 2013!!  That's right.  It's a night race!  It starts at 8:30pm, but each runner is given LED lights to wear during the race.  How fun is that?!

We selected this race because it benefits the hospital where Keegan receives most of his care, Children's Medical Center Dallas.  It will be run very close to the Legacy campus (and virtually walking distance from our house...bonus!).  We will not be fundraising, but we would love to see some friends come out to walk and run in support of our Bug and his medical team.  

So here's the important info if you'd like to join us:

• Saturday, March 23, 2013 in Plano, just east of the Shops of Legacy
• 5K starts at 8:30pm.  We will gather at the race location around 7:30pm at a TBD area to chat and have fun with our team.  However, our family will not be dallying long after the race.  Gray is going to push Keegan and Audrey in the double stroller (I will be racing, hoping to at least take my age group), and this race starts after their normal bedtime.  
• Registration Info:
• Go to the race website to register: http://fireflyrun.com/locations/dallas/
• Click on the "Register Now" button.
• Make sure you select team registration, then "K's for Keegan".
• This is a more expensive 5K than I would like, but there are still deals on registration available.  We purchased a discount from the website ZOZI to get half off our fees.  Click HERE to purchase the same deal, but hurry, it will end soon! Update: The Zozi deal has evidently expired; that link takes you to a coupon for the Houston race.  I apologize.  I looked around and was able to at least find a code for $5 off.  At registration, enter the code MRTT13.  If you use this and it works or doesn't, please let us know!
• TSHIRTS!  We will be ordering some K's for Keegan tshirts for anyone who participates.  I think, at this time, we will only order for those coming to this race, and when the design is completely finished, we will order for anyone who wants one.  If we finish it before the race with time to print, we will open up the orders.  We'll just have to see.  If you are going to run and want a tshirt, please, please, please register quickly and let me know your size.

I think that's it!  If you have any questions, please just let us know by email or in the comments below.  If you're coming out, YEAH for you!  ;)  Also please let us know when you register because at this time, the race organizers haven't given us a way to access team registration to know who has signed up.  

Get excited, team K's for Keegan!!

Paci-geddon

Pray for us.

As of this afternoon, we are a pacifier-free house.

We may never sleep again.

Keegan and Audrey still both use pacifiers at night (as well as naptime for Audrey).  I'm not that worried about Audrey.  She is ready.  We have been talking about what she wanted the "paci fairy" to bring her.  Immediately, Audrey said she wanted a pink bike and stuck to that story.  We knew we needed to do it with her before her third birthday.  We had the intersection of three "big girl" milestones coming though (pacifier, big bed, and potty training) but hardly knew which to do first.  

Keegan solved that problem for us.  He is about to lose his first tooth!  You see, we never took Keegan's pacifier away.  He didn't eat for so long that it satisfied his need for oral fixation and also kept his jaw muscles from atrophy.  In addition, it provided him with comfort during some very difficult times.  The dentist backed us up.  As much as it is recommended to get rid of the habit before children get past 2 years old, the dentist said no real harm would come of it until his permanent teeth came in.  If it gave him comfort, let him have it.  Well, push has come to shove, and that tooth is about to come out any day.

So today, we packed up the pacifiers, went to the store, and "paid" for two shiny new "big kid" bikes.  The cashier kindly told the kids that the "paci fairy" would come tonight and pick up the pacis.  Audrey had difficulty going down at naptime.  She cried a bit - more of a "woe is me" cry, than a "I can't stand this" cry - but slept well.  Keegan was a trooper at first.  He made it through his central line dressing change without so much as a mention of the darned thing, but then it was time to get into bed.  His meltdown was definitely of the "I can't stand this" type.  Audrey was beyond sweet trying to console him.  "It's ok, Bubby.  We traded them for new bikes, 'member?  You'll be ok.  Just go sleep now!"  She didn't fuss at all at bedtime but took some time to fall asleep.  Keegan took awhile but ultimately went down much sooner than we anticipated.  There may or may not have been some benadryl involved.  I plead the Fifth.  

Now, sleeping through the night will be a completely different story.  I fear we will not get one solid night of sleep for quite some time.  I can only hope that it will be short-lived!

Audrey can pedal, but often she just prefers to push her babies along.

The best part of Audrey's determination to ride a bike?

Something Keegan has been working very hard on for the last two years.

It finally clicked, and we couldn't be more proud.