JAMber

Amby-bamby! Amburger! Amber-bamber! Amberry! One year olds are SO MUCH FUN! Amber is at the golden age of early toddler-hood: she's turning 15 months old this week. She seems to be doing something new every other day and everything she does is adorable (everything except her dirty diapers, that is). Probably because she does it all with a big toothy grin and a squishy pot belly. She's learning to run and her balance is impressive. She can drink an entire sippy cup while standing up! Every time Jay's bedroom door gets left open, she zooms over to gobble up his legos.

She babbles to herself while she's playing. She has started saying Dada more than Mama. I haven't heard Mama in days! Sniff. But she loves her dada and it is the sweetest to watch her when he walks into the basement after work. She lights up and dashes over, saying Dadadadada! Amber also says nana for banana (and most lunch foods) and she's starting to identify her Wub binky with a "wah!" LOVE IT.

One of her favorite places to play is in the kitchen drawer where we keep plastic things. She stacks the bowls, hides things in them, stirs up everything in the drawer, drools in most things, and loses half of our cups.

Another one of her favorite activities is MUSIC. We have a kid radio that plays three short songs, a little piano that plays two or three short segments of classical music, and a Baby Einstein music player that plays Mozart, Beethoven, and a few others. Amber likes to walk around clutching various music-making devices and pressing the buttons over and over. This week she's been working on her dance moves especially. Monday morning she suddenly started shimmying--shaking her whole torso in a funny little movement. Sometimes she does it when she is refusing an offering or trying to escape. Today she started doing it to music. It is the best. Enjoy.