Leah is 19 months old!

I haven't posted in several weeks...lots to report. Leah's 19th month of life was one of big leaps and bounds - especially in her vocabulary. She's combining words more and more these days. She asks to play with the "George puzzle" - which is a Curious George puzzle in the nursery at the gym. The tells us to get out of bed by saying "Mommy down. Baba down." She tells us when she's done with whatever may be going on - "all done draw" seems fairly self explanatory - and also when she wants whatever we have - "Leah bite" or "Leah sip" - or sometimes when she's cold - "Leah jacket."

More exciting than all of that - she counts to 10 - and sometimes 11. We were stuck on "two three four six" for quite awhile. Then we added five in the right spot. Eight nine ten came soon after. Finally we got her to add the one. But the real holdout was seven. Of course we didn't want to pressure her - the counting was really all on her own - but when she kept saying "one two three four five six eight nine ten" we were just terribly frustrated that we couldn't even get her to say the word seven. Then all of a sudden she said it when asked - and added it to the sequence. And if she's in the mood she'll even perform her one through ten skills when asked to count.

Leah now loves carrying on pretend phone conversations on her play phone - she can really go on for awhile when she feels like it. She's very into her crayons and sidewalk chalk and requests "draw" several times a day. She also likes for us to draw things for her - I'm getting pretty good at drawing Elmo - Leah even recognizes it without my telling her what it is.

Leah's playground skills are continuing to improve - running faster, climbing better, she can even go up a few steps without holding on. And she's mastered the spiral slide - no more getting a foot caught and spinning around head first. She also loves hanging from a bar overhead and swinging back and forth - although she hasn't quite mastered the drop - sometimes falling a bit awkwardly and bumping an elbow or head.

She's also got an expanding palate - she now identifies and requests bacon - and she's eaten shrimp a couple of times - although she never wants more than one in a sitting. And her flair for dancing continues. She dances at home with her baby doll, at weddings, at the playground - pretty much any place that there is any music Leah is happy to break into a little hip shimmy. And of course we all love watching her move.

But the most exciting new development for me - she says "I love you." And today she even added "I love you Mommy" (see video below).

Showing off her hanging skills:
Just being so darn cute at the playground:
Climbing - already halfway up before I can even get there to make sure she doesn't fall:
Mmm - bacon is good:
Showing off her dancing skills at Water Taxi Beach on Governor's Island: