Nineteen month update

Yes, it's been awhile...but there are lots of pics to make up for it.

Actually, we are over the whole month thing and have moved on to "year and a half" (I know many of you are thankful). Simona is quite the toddler these days. She's is still the same Simona - mostly independent, somewhat cautious, and very lovable - only more so now. She's learning how to run ("go fast") and can talk up a storm. She knows everyone's name (even the Cleveland folks!), and often associates people together (parents & kids, husbands and wives, etc.). She is putting 2-3 words together now and learns at least a new word every day. She sleeps with a bevy of soft, colorful stuffed animals (she's not picky) with whom she has plenty of meaningful early morning conversations. She is loving the stroller less and prefers to walk on her own in the neighborhood, which means we say hi to everything and everybody, and never really make it far. She's especially fond of airplanes and helicopters, chimes, and...Elmo. It was only a matter of time!

Is this weird? It's her friend Pilot going to sleep - she loves to put her toys to sleep on a 'blanket'. Simona makes little arrangements like this often, and maybe it's just me, but this one seemed oddly symmetrical for a person her age to put together!