19 months!

Samantha is now nineteen months old and quite the little communicator.  The biggest change in the last month has been the addition of more language.

Here's a list of what she now says (and as many of you know I won't count it unless it's really a legit word): Mama, Dada, Hi, Hello, Buh-bye, uh-oh, woah, Yes, No, Lala (that's llama as in llama llama read pajama and Lanie), Ball, Bird, Book, Ba for Banana, BaBa for belly button, Elbow (I know, random body part, right?), Eye, Eyebrow, Nose, Toe, Back, Backpack, Doggie, Ducky, Meow for Cat, Moo for Cow, Ba for sheep, Cock a doo a loo for Rooster, Bear, Sit, Out, Baby, Shoe, "Sh" for Fish, Up, Choo-Choo (she is obsessed with the train that goes around Wegmans), You, and Elmo.

Don't let this pic fool you- she's still rarely eating vegetables.  But she has started to try and help in the kitchen.  She gets excited to help me put the corn shucks in the garbage, stirs things, and likes to transfer items between bowls or cups.

She's also really been working on her utensils and now feeds herself yogurt completely on her own (can you say a mess?!!!)

Samantha is now a pro at walking up and down stairs on her feet, holding the railing.  We still don't let her do it without being right there inside (we have one of the steepest flights of stairs in our house), but outside she goes up and down both sides of the upper patio without us standing right there.

She still loves puzzles and now can do her whole alphabet puzzle, as well as some other puzzles that involve putting several pieces into one big shape.

Samantha has also started to basically run this month. She pumps her arms and is moving her legs a lot faster!

Um, I love this face.  This is her "OHHHH" I'm excited face.

She still bosses us around.  Even with only 35ish words, she can basically get every point across.

We're also still reading a lot.  Favorite books this month are anything involving Ducks, the Little Engine that Could (thanks Auntie Vasanta), Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea, Bear Snores On, I Want My Hat Back, and still Llama Llama.

Music is still Samantha's favorite.  If you put on her favorite Sesame Street music videos (Check out Usher's ABCs and Jason Mraz's Outdoors), she will smile and dance.  And then sign for more to watch them again.

We're still loving music class.  And now Samantha follows directions so well there.  She knows when to pat her legs in a song and when to get up and spin.  She sometimes sings la la and ba ba, when I'm singing, and she is great at beating the sticks and shaker eggs right to the music.

She is also getting a little braver in the pool.  She's okay now walking around the whole baby pool if she's holding one of our hands. 

Love those smiling eyes! Oh and one more new thing this month- when we pray before dinner or before bed, Samantha folds her hands to pray with you. Melts my heart every time.

Samantha, we are so blessed by you!