Scripps College Gear!

Emmy feels so lucky to be loved by a Scrippsie...Thank you Aunt Kerry, it finally fits!! 

(We love you, too!!!)

19 months!

The Stats: (after a very belated 18 month well baby check-up)
Height: 33.5 inches, 87th percentile
Weight: 26.6 pounds, 73rd percentile
Head Circumference: 48 centimeters, 83rd percentile


Emmy's words:
Emmy
doggie (she's impressively fine-tuned her bark to match those of two great danes that live in the yard behind ours.)
miiiiaa (as in a high-pitched meow for kitty cat)
Elmo
Abby (as in Abby Cadabby)
off (pronounced "awe"-and then blowing as if extinguishing a candle)
on
Please (only with a great deal of prodding)
Thank You
cup
shoes
"all done" (pronounced "all-doe")
"here you go" (pronounced "ear-go")
more
cookie
Andy
happy
"ready, set, go" (more like GO! and then she starts running)
Mama
Dada
cheese
turkey
light
fly
fan
phone (pronounced "phoe")
uh-oh (still a staple)
car
book
bath (pronounced b-a)
water (pronounced wa-wa)
eye
ear
nose
hair
brush
walk
ice
hot
MINE! (Ugggghhhhh!!!!!)
When we repeat back the word she wants us to hear, she always nods vigorously with big eyes, it's as if she's saying "bingo! You got it!"  It's very sweet. :)

Emmy's favorite past times:
dancing (particularly to the honky-tonk music clips on her Leap Frog refrigerator barn and animal magnet toy)
listening to music (she loves doing the motions to "if you're happy and you know it," "the itsy bitsy spider," and "head, shoulder, knees and toes.")
playing chase
reading stories (Or flipping through the pages. Favorite stories are "Each Peach Pear Plum" and "Roar of a Snore")
typing on the computer
"talking" on the phone (unless someone is on the other line.)
cooking with Mama (especially stirring)
taking Molly and Darla for walks
leading her mother on wild goose chases

Favorite foods:
hummus
cucumber
carrots
applesauce with cinnamon sugar
cheerios
blackberries
raspberries
cheese
turkey
spaghetti and meatballs
homemade italian wedding soup

Raiding Mommy & Daddy's closet.

Forgetting her table manners.

Obsessed with my Uggs.

Watching T.V. in her birthday suit.

Impromptu swim session in the backyard after church.

Emmy stole the bag of Cheerios and took off running with them under her arm as if it was a football...It was hilarious.

I thought she deserved a Cheerio snack after all the effort she put into retrieving them.

Her fourth helping of Italian Wedding Soup.

Just One Word...

We are beyond thrilled to announce that we are expecting Baby Horn #2 on or around January 16th, 2012!  

14 weeks today!!! :)

LANCER 6, ANCIENT

Nick relinquished his command of Bravo Company, 5th Battalion, 101 Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Aviation Division (also known as the "Lancers") on Tuesday, June 14th at 11:00am.  There was a moving presentation given in his honor and an outpouring of hand shakes and hugs.  It was a warm ending to the past, very tumultuous, 18 months.  The time has left us both far more grizzled, but with many necessary life lessons under our belts.  Nick has since returned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and is holding down an administrative staff job.  It takes him away from the action (much to his chagrin,) but his work schedule is far more regular and conducive to a positive family routine.  We (by that I mean I) were thrilled to learn that he is only required one 30 day deployment each year; a reality that we haven't known in the past 3 years.  This new chapter already promises to be a good one!  We are actively engaged in conversations contemplating our future in the army and looking into what other direction God may have in store for our little family.  Of course, only He knows which way it will go.  For now, we have one year left of Nick's military commitment (which will make his total 10 years in-halfway to retirement) and an awful lot to decide before it's over.

Stay-cation

We had a long Fourth of July Weekend before Nick began his new job back in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.  We did our best to catch up on a few lingering house projects (unpacking from the deployment and painting the shed) while Emmy napped and enjoyed a few fun excursions in her wakeful periods.   We had a picnic at Kentucky Lake, played at the park, had a special breakfast at the Pancake Pantry (as recommended by Adam on Man vs. Food) and explored Belle Meade Mansion.

Swinging at the park.

Pancake Pantry...Emmy was as wiggly as ever, I've never eaten pancakes so quickly before in my life.  She is rapidly becoming our least favorite restaurant companion. :-P

Sawing logs like her Mama and Dada.

Petting the horses at Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville.

Dada's games are far more entertaining than perusing the historic venue.

Perfecting her half-extention stunt.

The lake isn't pretty but felt like bath water, we couldn't keep Emmy out of it.

Chocoholic

I introduced Emmy to my latest food infatuation, Nutella.  She loves it.

California 2011

The morning after Nick's change of command, we set out for a week in California.  As usual, we hit the pavement running to catch up with our families....I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Celebrating Mimi's last day of school.

Emmy and Andy played freeze dance with Mimi's first graders, they planted themselves in the center of the circle.

Mimi dancing with her girls.

Emmy is obsessed with ice.

Emmy cuddles with Grammy Horn.

Emmy and Daddy perfecting their stunts in the pool.

Hangin' with Uncle Ben and Uncle Grant.

The In-N-Our challenge! The kiddos probably could have competed in the french fry consumption category (had there been one.)  After they finished each of their cartons, they hunted Mom down and stole hers.

Nick hard at work.  He'd diligently "stretched" his stomach for the week leading up in preparation for this challenge...

...And it paid off! Nick beat the other competitors (from right to left: Uncle Kent, Dad, Bryce, Jamie, Nick and J.P.) with a whopping 5 3/4 double-doubles consumed in about 45 minutes.  I have heartburn just thinking about it.

Half Moon Bay!

Andy wasn't quite quick enough to beat the waves, so Daddy saved the day!

Time for dessert!

Clairey wanted to wrestle, and Emmy was loving it.

Clairey and Emmy wanted to hold hands.  So they did.

It takes a cast to hold Emmy's attention.

Clairey's much easier to please.

Emmy mastered the lego wall at "Zeum," a children's museum in San Francisco.

First time on a carousel!  She loved it!

Clairey...not so much.

A little smile to appease his crazy aunt.

Clairey and Kris finished the ride on the bench seat.

The three musketeers!

Curling up with a good book. :)

Horn family picture at our Father's Day BBQ.

Emmy and Great Grandpa Jack.

Odell-Horn-Sacksteder family picture.  No easy feat getting everyone into one frame (and looking at the camera, no less!)  Emmy was the toothbrush bandit during our stay in California.  No one was safe as she sought out new ones to feed her habit.

Muir Woods!  Looking forward to when our children have the stamina to do the full hike to the beach...I think we still have several years ahead of us until that happens, but it was still awe-inspiring.

Feeding the ducks at Blackhawk Plaza.

Long trip back to Tennessee...Flight delays led to an unexpected night spent in Chicago.  Nothing like drawing out the travel nerves into two days instead of one.  Emmy was positively manic by the time we got to the hotel at 10pm, with only a 20 minute nap since rising that morning.)  On a brighter note, we enjoyed both chicago-style hot dogs and deep dish pizza during our extended layover.