Some pics

Don't have much to say, just wanted to get some pictures up!

These two pictures were taken at the Tuscaloosa Hands On Children's Museum.



This is a picture of John waiting for our Christmas party to start. (Notice the clean room and extra chairs behind him!)

More updates

John is doing great and having lots of fun. He is able and very proud to be able to put on his own pants and shirts now. He got one of his socks on by himself yesterday.

He is very interested in music now, and often bangs things and says "Mommy, I'm making music!"

His favorite movie is "Finding Nemo," and we still sometimes throw Thomas in.

He definitely tests us in deliberate ways to see how far he can go. His other challenge is that he instantly gets upset when we do something that he wants to do himself... including change his own diaper! (Sigh) It's a minefield for me and Tony, but we just remind him to ask nicely. I remind myself that someday we'll be able to go from seeing something he wants to do and asking nicely without the instant tantrum in the middle!

He spent some time in the puddle near our house on Saturday, and I finally figured out that I should buy him some boots, which I did. I'll let you know how that goes the next time we go puddle-jumping.

Quick one (updated with new picture links!)

We're home again! We got home last night at about 730pm.
The car is unpacked and vacuumed (Thanks Tony).
The laundry has been sorted and started, and now we just have to sort all the other travel miscellanea into its home.
I'm feeling my traditional/annual post-Holiday letdown. Tony and John are trying to help me out of it. I was telling John I was sad because I was missing everyone. He then said "Be happy. I'm here" and gave me a hug. I'm thankful for such a sweet kid. He is having fun running around playing with his new and old toys.
Tony is hooking up the Roku (the netflix direct-to-TV player). I'm sort of puttering from one thing to another.

I hope to get some Christmas pictures posted soon, but we didn't take many, so I have to wait for pics from Pa, Aunt Jessica, and Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jenny.
Here are links to Aunt/Sis Jenny's page which have some pictures:
Post with a pic of my whole family!
Post with pics of the two cousins, John and Naomi, so cute!

We did a LOT this year:
Lots of Wii Rock band and Wii Fit, especially bowling and yoga. Sister Jessica held an octathalon of Wii.
Flying kites with Pa and Uncle Mark.
Flying Pa's little remote-control plane
Eating at my favorite Mexican food restaurants: El Fenix; El Chico; Q-doba
The inaugural Horn family 5K
Six flags
Disney's Bolt in Digital 3-D (Tony opted for "Day the Earth Stood Still")
Painting Christmas ornaments
Making a gingerbread Christmas tree
Playing at local parks and playgrounds

See why I miss them?!
It's good to be home though!

We are definitely a 21st century family

Here is John opening his Christmas gifts from Grandpa Don and Grandma Indiana "with" them via Skype!

Life's burning questions

For about the past couple months, John's two biggest questions (besides "What?") have been "Are you happy?" and "Are you big?" I think the "big" refers to the idea of being a "big kid" rather than physical size.
Today he moved toward the biggest question yet in our family's short life: "Why?" He asked it on several occasions today, but so far only twice in succession on the same topic.
Over margaritas with friend Kerri tonight, I figured out that the alternate answer to the standby "Because I said so": when I get to the end of my scope in the answers to "Why?" I will answer "Because, chicken fuzz."

Ok, so maybe it's funny only if you've had two margaritas...

Thanksgiving, Finally

I think I am the last in my circle of Mommy-bloggers to post Thanksgiving pics! Oh, well, here they are. Better late than never.
We had a great time in Indy and Louisville!

Uncle David, Cousin KatieJean, and John at Grandma Indiana and Grandpa Don's house.


KatieJean sharing a book with Tony and her Daddy, John's Uncle David.


John and Uncle David playing "Lookout for the ceiling!"


John and Grandpa Mike at the piano.


The Penna Families


John playing with the awesome wooden trucks that Grandpa Mike made.



I've got some video too, I've just got to upload it! Whew!

It worked today, anyway!

John is always a little clingy when we drop him off from school. So today we tried a new technique: pushing mommy out the door. I read about it on a thread about toddlers crying at daycare. I talked to John about it yesterday at dinner, and this morning, he was getting sad as I was getting ready to leave, but I said "It's time to push Mommy out the door," and he did, and I said "Whoooaaa!" and he was laughing when I left. Yay!
Now I just have to deal with my fears that he will want to push other people...