Monday morning we started officially potty training Kathryn.  Gone were her diapers (except for sleeping).  I went with her a few weeks ago to buy some panties.  She was very excited about them, though.

Potty training is something I have been dreading since before Kathryn was born.  I just had no idea how to do it and was really afraid of accidents.  So I asked someone in our branch that has a daughter one year older than Kathryn.  She recommended a book, “Potty Training made Easy, Fast, & Simple”, by Johanne Cesar.  It sounded reasonable to us (since I had no idea what to do), and was also similar to what Andrea had told me, so we decided to try it.

We set a timer and when it went off, we took Kathryn to the potty.  Darryl put the Veggietales theme song chorus as the timer music.  Monday I set the timer for 10 minute increments, Tuesday 20-30 minutes, by Friday I didn’t use the timer, but just took her once an hour.  For Kathryn this worked well, because the first day she was going quite a bit – a little at a time.  But Friday just going once an hour she didn’t have any accidents.  We obviously still have a long way to go.  She hasn’t yet told us that she needs to go.  We just take her and she goes.  But I do feel encouraged.

It is interesting to see how all children are different.  From what we have heard and read, incentives can play a big part in potty training.  The first day we started giving Kathryn stickers when she actually went on the potty.  By the end of the day she didn’t care about stickers.  Then we moved to candy.  By the end of Wednesday that didn’t mean anything, either.  So we really aren’t using anything as incentive. 

I’m looking forward to not using/buying so many diapers.  Of course, she went through 4 diapers during one of her naps this week.  She kept getting up and wanting to use the potty right after wetting in her diaper.  But Kathryn isn’t ready to go nap-less.  And neither am I.

So we’ll just keep taking her to the potty regularly and asking if she needs to go.  We welcome tips from anyone!

Family, Kathryn | 3 Comments »

I’ve realized over the past few years that all of the things I grew up saying may not be what everyone else is saying.  I’ll call them Harrison sayings.  Here are a couple, and I welcome any other sayings you Harrisons or Harrison in-laws have noticed and wish to add. 

“Eensy Weensy Spider” – I had always sung this song as “eensy weensy” until I was singing it with Kathryn and Darryl said it should be “itsy bitsy”.  I was clinging to the “eensy weensy” version until I heard the photographer at the Harrison Family Reunion (Summer 2006).  We were trying to get a picture of all the grandchildren with Grandma and Grandpa but half of the kids were crying so we all lined up to sing “eensy weensy spider”.  I heard the photographer saying “itsy bitsy”…  FYI, Kathryn now sings it “eensy beensy” which is a nice combination, I think.

“Hook” – Apparently the word “hook” is not a universal attachment word.  I have used “hook” all my life for anything that attaches.  We hook puzzle pieces in, hook magents on the fridge, hook legos together, hook a lot of things together.  Darryl pointed out that to “hook” is actually very particular.  I am trying to expand my vocabulary to use words like buckle, fit, velcro, stick, plug, etc.  I did notice this word in MaryAnn’s blog today, and Darryl claims to have heard it a lot by various people in our family.  But in my heart of hearts, I believe that you really do “hook” puzzle pieces in.

“Huh” – This may just be used when talking to little kids.  I used to say it all the time to Kathryn – “Daddy will come home for dinner, huh.”  Then Kathryn started saying it to Amelia.  And we did catch both Grandma and Grandpa Harrison saying “huh” to Kathryn on the webcam last week.  Darryl apparently never says this word so he thinks it is funny that I say it so much when I talk to Kathryn and Amelia.

“Apple Bread” – This isn’t really a saying, but the thing.  I grew up eating apple bread every year and I think it is just heavenly.  I never had banana bread (that I can remember) until I was 18 years old one morning at seminary.  But since I have left home, I always talk about and bake apple bread in the Fall, and no one has ever heard of it.  Everyone thinks it is the strangest thing ever.  This is one thing where I am sure that the rest of the world is missing out!

Amanda | 8 Comments »

February 23rd was Former Red Army Day, also known as Men’s Day in Ukraine.  We didn’t celebrate Men’s Day per se, but we did have a great Friday evening.  We went with the two other couples in our branch, and two senior missionary couples to another senior missionary couple’s apartment for a nice dinner and presentation by Sister Lee (one of the senior sister missionaries) on marriage.  She was a part time marriage therapist for 30 years, so we joked that we were going to marriage therapy.

What a treat!  First, a couple of ILP girls came to babysit Kathryn and Amelia.  This is a treat for Kathryn because she gets lots of attention.  Amelia doesn’t like her mommy to leave, but she went to bed shortly after I left, so hopefully it wasn’t too bad for her or the babysitters.  It is a treat for Darryl and me because we can go somewhere ourselves, and the babysitters even did the dishes!  The delicious meal was a real treat.  A roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, a really yummy salad.   

The presentation was an even better treat.  She said so many wonderful things, and shared some of her experiences.  The most interesting thing to me was this:  She said when we think of our most important relationship, we always say “family”.  But truly the most important relationship is marriage.  You can get to the Celestial Kingdom without your children, but not without your spouse.

The last treat (besides the cookies and candy) was being with the senior missionary couples.  Both Darryl and I experienced this treat on our missions, but we are rediscovering the wisdom and wonderfulness of senior missionaries.  We loved hearing about their families, their experiences, etc.  One of the newer couples lives very near to us – he is the doctor for the Eastern European Area besides Russia.  Two of the senior missionaries had served together in Germany many years ago!  It was great to associate with them.  We rode the metro home with some of them, and Darryl and I both thought how cool and tough they were!

Amanda, Darryl, Kyiv Adventures | 1 Comment »

On Sunday I invited Anny, a Ukrainian member in our branch, to dinner on Monday and to talk about some Relief Society things (she is my counselor).  Darryl was going out of town so I thought it would be nice to have someone over.  Then Darryl ended up staying in town, and Anny never called, so I thought she wasn’t going to come, and figured it was for the best. 

As we were finishing up our dinner (which happened to be the very fancy macaroni and cheese with hotdogs) we got a phone call and it was Anny downstairs asking which apartment was ours!  Oops!  I quickly set a place for her, and was glad we had enough food.  Of course it was pretty embarrassing that we had already eaten!

The house was pretty much a mess, and while she was eating her dinner Kathryn fell out of her chair and landed on her head, and Amelia was crying (she has major separation anxiety right now and probably thought she was getting a babysitter).  Kathryn also spilled her milk, maybe during the fall, I can’t remember.  Part of me was feeling terrible, but part of me was remembering something a wise mother once told me.

I was returning a book to her last summer and decided to stop by on the way home from Safeway.  I knocked on the door and she invited me in for a few minutes.  She has four children, the youngest two are near the ages of Kathryn and Amelia.  There were toys all over the floor, and blankets, diapers, etc.  She said, “I love when people just stop by and they can see that my house isn’t always clean!”  I believe most people clean (or at least tidy) when we know someone is coming over.  But most of us probably have toys, clothes, diapers, books strewn about the rest of the time. 

So Anny saw our “real house” and I don’t think she was fazed one bit.  She is a nanny, after all!  I do like a clean house, and well behaved children, but I love the idea of knowing that I’m not the only one with a messy house sometimes. 

Amanda | 3 Comments »

After our wonderful dinner (see post below), we walked around a little bit.  I wanted to see the Golden Gate, but we saw a few things on our way.  First was a church (I think St. Andrews, because it is at the top of Andrivskiy Sputsk). 

After a few more minutes I realized where we were – very near where we had lived in our temporary apartments, our first three weeks here.  We think this building – the Minstry of Foreign Affairs – is beautiful.  I’m doing the sign for “cold”, because I was so cold.  Next to that building is another church, St. Michael’s.

Then we got to the Golden Gate, near the metro stop zoloti vorota, which apparently means “Golden Gate”.  It used to be the gate to enter the city, hundreds of years ago.  It is always interesting to me to see something that has been around for so long.  It looks just like a gate you would imagine that opens to a city surrounded by a wall.  Or the gate on  “ThePrincessBride” – “Fezzik, the portcullis!”

There happened to be a gelato place right there, so we had some extremely tasty ice cream.  Gelato can definitely fill the Cold Stone Creamery void while we’re here.

Kyiv Adventures | 3 Comments »

Darryl got home from work about 8pm on Valentine’s Day.  He called to see if Kathryn was still up (which she was).  He walked in with a red heart balloon for her.  From the way she squealed and ran around with the balloon, he concluded it had been a good idea!  Darryl and I had already planned to go out to dinner Saturday night (but he also brought tulips and a chocolate candy bar for me.)  Later that evening Amelia took her first steps!  She took 2 and 3 steps, and has done so a few times each day since.  She was 2 days shy of being 9 months old. 

Saturday we had a couple of the ILP teachers come over to babysit.  Darryl had made a reservation at a restaurant recommended by one of the partners at KPMG.  He ended up eating there twice during the week for work things, before we went there!  So by then he could recommend it himself.

It is a French restaurant, very small (about the size of our living room), and is on Andrievskiy Sputsk, a very old street lined with souvenir vendors.  That street alone is on my list of places to go to in Kyiv.  I’m always glad Darryl speaks Russian, but the woman offered us English menus which was nice.  The partner that recommended the place mentioned that one reason it is so nice is there are no TVs in the restaurant.  Even Mcdonalds has 3 or 4 big TVs.  The only thing I would change is the smoking.  By the time we left it was getting to me, and when we got home my sweater was extremely smokey. 

While we were still discussing the menu, I saw the server bring out someone else’s food.  To me it looked like raw meat shaped into a hamburger (without bun), but with a raw egg on top.  I thought surely this was on its way to some oven at the other side of the restaurant.  Not so. 

We shared a salad – pretty much a novelty because lettuce is very expensive and bag salads are non-existent.  It was delicious and included duck meat.  I have to say I really like duck – I had it a few times in China.  I got a steak shashlik (shish-kabob) which was very tasty, and homemade puree (which is mashed potatoes).  We also had carpaccio as an appetizer.  It was quite tasty – especially when we sprinkled it with lemon juice.  The whole meal was very delicious, and just as nice was not having to feed Amelia, jump up for something for Kathryn, wipe up the spills, and especially do the dishes (by hand).

Family, Kyiv Adventures | 3 Comments »

We made some Valentines for our Family Home Evening activity.  Kathryn wanted to give three to Daddy and one to Mommy.  I guess we know who’s the favorite around here.

A couple days ago Kathryn and Amelia got a letter in the mail.  Kathryn was very excited.  It was a Valentine card from Grandma and Grandpa Harrison with stickers to decorate.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! 

Family | 3 Comments »

On Saturday we went to the circus!  We had tickets for Darryl and I to take Kathryn to the circus.  However, Amelia has been sick and was still not well enough to be left with a babysitter.  After much discussion and persuasion, I was off to the circus with Kathryn.  I was able to find it fine, the travel was fine, and I enjoyed the show very much, so thank you Darryl for making me actually leave the house!   Some nice people at various times helped me get the stroller up and down stairs and escalators.  I actually understood them asking me if I needed help.  We changed lines on the metro, and made the 10-15 minute walk to the circus from the metro stop. 

We got to the circus and I immediately saw that we could/should check our coats.  I was hoping we could also leave our stroller there.  The first two places I approached, the lady started talking and pointing and so I kept going until someone took the stroller and our coats.  Then I had no idea how to find our seats, but we walked in and had an usher help us. 

We had been telling Kathryn all week that we would see elephants and lions and bears at the circus.  We got there and it was more like an ice skating show at the beginning.  They did circus-y type of things, but on ice skates!  I thought it was great.  I didn’t get a picture, but they had cats (like house cats) doing tricks.  The best one was doing a cat doing parallel bars like on gymnastics.  Not a gymnastics routine, but using its front two legs to go across.  It was fun to watch, but at intermisison Kathryn asked, “Where are the animals?” 

Finally out came some polar bears!  They were so huge, and looked so cuddly. 

I wondered if Kathryn would be able to sit and watch a two hour show.  She did like to climb on and off her chair, but I was very impressed that she was watching most of the time.  In fact, I liked watching her just as much as I liked watching the performers!  She was so cute, clapping and dancing to the music sometimes. 

Kathryn, Kyiv Adventures | 3 Comments »

She has never taken to a pacifier, but she loves my silk pajamas.  I might have to get a new pair for myself!  When she’s tired I give her the pajamas and put her in the crib.  They must be magic pajamas because she usually goes to sleep!

 Amelia sticks out her tongue when she is really excited and smiles very widely.  She has a great time playing little games by herself.  I love when she gets so excited and starts rocking and throwing her hands in the air.  She also loves to laugh and laughs often.

She often wants to do whatever Kathryn is doing.  Every once in awhile, this actually works out, like when Kathryn wants Amelia to chase her or to go to her room. 

Amelia has big lips and makes a cute pouty face.  She always sits/knees like in this picture.

Amelia loves standing.  She pulls herself up anywhere.  Favorite places include the stroller, the computer, and the book shelf.  She can stand by herself for a few seconds.

Amelia | 4 Comments »

Kathryn has all but mastered using the mouse on the computer!  A few days ago she wanted to try, and I was amazed at how well she did.  She likes to play games at pbskids.org.  She spent quite awhile today figuring out how to make the teletubbies dance. 

She loves building, but also loves organizing.  She likes to put the blocks she calls “moons” together, and the blocks she calls “tables” together.  The “moons” fit into the “tables” and she always has like colors together.  Sometimes she puts the triangles on the rectangles, arranged together by color.

She likes to have a pretend picnic with her play food.  She cooks soup or fruit salad and gives everyone a serving, and we eat it on a blanket.  Amelia is usually not invited.

She loves to sing and can remember the words to many songs.  She has told me her favorites are “We could be the heroes” (SUV Song) from Silly Songs with Larry, and “Domn, Domn, s-analtam”, a Romanian Christmas carol! 

She likes to get dressed by herself.  Well, let’s say she likes to put her clothes on by herself.  She doesn’t really like to get dressed.  She also likes to wear dresses.  We’re very lucky to have received some dresses from the 2 other families in our branch that have girls a little older than Kathryn. 

Kathryn loves peanut butter sandwiches.  She has this for a “snack” at lunchtime, while Amelia and I have lunch.  Then right before her nap, she claims that she needs “lunch”.  Kathryn also loves milk!  I am so glad she is a milk drinker.

Kathryn also loves nursery!  Sometimes we go to pick her up and she asks to stay for a few more minutes. 

And just for kicks, here are a couple pictures of me.

Kathryn | 5 Comments »

A few weeks ago Darryl got an email from someone he served with in Russia.  Incidentally, Will (the guy), lives in Seattle with his wife, and we have been to their house.  Well, turns out they were in Ukraine, and coming to Kyiv!  We met them to go to church, and then had them over for dinner.  It just seemed so ironic that we had dinner with them over a year ago in Seattle, and now the next time we see them we are all in Ukraine.

Will’s wife, Sophie, is from Ukraine originally.  She is working on a PhD at University of Washington and has been to three different countries doing research.  She was in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and now Ukraine.  Will came for a few days to visit.  Sophie has been travelling for months.  We were able to see her the next two Sundays at church, and had her over for dinner once more. 

Last week she brought a CD with pictures she has taken.  She also commented on them and told us some of her experiences.  It was extremely interesting and I wish I had taken notes on some of the things she said.  I think most of her time was in Tajikistan, and that is what she was telling us about.  It sounds like a very interesting place, and frankly I haven’t ever really thought about that country before.  It was part of the USSR, but the people were able to retain a lot of Muslim culture.  She showed pictures of men dressed in Western clothing – pants and a t-shirt.  Women were always dressed in what you would see Muslim women wearing, heads covered, etc.  Sophie was interested in (and it pertained to her research) the treatment of women.  Also she said the current president of Tajikistan has close ties to Russia and Putin, and school children have started to wear Russian type uniforms to school.  It is the kind Sophie wore to school when she was a child in Ukraine, however Sophie said for the Tajikistan culture, it was inappropriate for the girls (the skirts, I think).  She had pictures of the markets there, that resembled what we see here.  However, there were rows and rows of stalls/kiosks with silk material and all sorts of material that we don’t see here.  All the women in dresses.

It just made me think of how many places there are in the world, and how many people and how little I really know.  That is perhaps my favorite thing about going to other countries.  I realize how much is really out there and see a glimpse of the diversity of Heavenly Father’s children.

Kyiv Adventures | 1 Comment »

On Saturday we rode on the funicular.  I asked Darryl what to say about it.  He said, “It was fun…icular!”  It is a cable car that goes up a hill – its a very short ride but fun and quite a touristy thing I hear.  Here are Darryl and Kathryn in front of the entrance.  It says “Funicular” in Ukrainian.  You can tell because it has an “i”.  Russian doesn’t have an “i”, it has a backwards “n” instead.

Here we are inside.  When we got to the top we saw a woman that was feeding birds out of her hand, which was really cool.

We weren’t exactly sure where the funicular would end up.  We found ourselves in a large park, very close to the apartment we stayed in for 2 weeks last September when we first arrived.  Kathryn had a great time playing at the park – she kept saying things like, “This is a great park, Dad!”  

Here is a view from the park.  We live to the left, which is north, beyond where you can see in the picture. 

Family, Kyiv Adventures | 1 Comment »