Devin's Journal

Ok. I keep sitting down and editing movies and pictures so I can update the boys' blogs and then I never get through them and then I never update and....*sigh*

So I figured I had better make the time to at least write about some of the things going on around here before it is time for me to send out graduation and wedding announcements for these kids.

Devin is 10 months old. Can you believe it? His best trick right now is standing unassisted. He usually does so with his arms flung over his head as if he is holding imaginary hands for assistance. He has 4 teeth on the top and two on the bottom and they all sprouted the same week. He also had his 9 month checkup where we found out that he is right around the 35th percentile in both height and weight so he's not such a big baby anymore.

Dax was 10.5 months old when he started walking and I have a feeling Devin might not be too far from adding that to his list of achievements as well. We're having a playdate this weekend with my friend Michele and her daughter Kaitlyn (and Caren and Bobby, too, of course) and I'm thinking of gluing Kaitlyn's little diapered butt to the ground so she can't show him any walking tips.

Devin has gotten to the age where he's hearing the word "no" for the first time. I remember Dax melting down when we would tell him no but not Devin. He laughs. A lot. We might have a little trouble with this one.

He's starting to show some real preferences for things (certain songs, favorite blanket, favorite toys). He is fairly indiscriminate, however, about people and will let just about anyone hold him. He just wants to be held. A lot. And he's so snuggly that it really isn't hard to get people to do his bidding.

Last week there was a huge wave of layoffs at work and I actually found myself sort of wishing to be included because it would mean I could stay home with Dax and Devin for awhile. Cat and I crunched some numbers, talked about where we'd cut back, discussed our options and figured that it wouldn't be a Terrible Thing if it happened.

It didn't. And I am grateful for that but still a tiny bit sad because I was really kind of excited about what opportunities being thrust into that situation might have opened up. Everything for a reason, right?

So now I'm just looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas so can have some time away from work to spend with my boys.

By now Devin has been outside of me longer than he was inside of me and that just completely freaks me out.

Our little man is totally on the move these days. Not only is he crawling, he's pulling himself up on things and cruising around. Dax walked at 10.5 months and I'm wondering if Devin might be an early walker as well. Time will tell.

Poor Devin had croup last week and it sucked. Luckily, the weather was cool and damp which is apparently good for croupy babies. It seems the worst is over and I could not be happier about that. Of course I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg and we'll likely have a fairly crummy winter for sickness.

He still doesn't have any teeth. Every so often I think he's cutting one but he's still totally gummy. Dax was almost a year old before he got his first one so I'm not concerned. What Devin *did* get, however, is the family Unruly Hair Gene as evidenced in this photo.

He's been "talking" a lot more as well. Dax started Karate last week and Devin just loves to shout along with all the kids as they practice their moves.

I'm so excited for the month of October because Devin will have a lot of "firsts". We'll be taking him to San Francisco for the first time next weekend. He'll get to go to the pumpkin patch for the first time next week. And he'll have his first Halloween (and I confess I did buy an adorable costume for him but you'll have to wait a bit for it to be unveiled).

I am hoping we don't add walking to this list of firsts. I'm just not even close to being ready for that.

We've long since given up on trying to keep track of what week we're in so we'll just say that Devin is 8 months old now. He's on the verge of crawling but hasn't quite figured out how to get his arms and legs to move the way he needs them to so he pretty much just rocks back and forth and grins at the thought of all the trouble he intends to get into soon.

He's getting a lot chattier. Don't get me wrong, he's still a very quiet little soul. But every once in awhile he gets very talkative and sometimes this "talk" can be pretty loud. And funny.

He still loves to play in his exersaucer. That thing is Baby Command Center what with all the toys, bells, whistles, lights and gizmos. It doesn't bounce as well as it once did but the seat still spins quite smoothly and this is a good thing as he is a very busy little man who has no time for faulty seating.

He's also learned to clap and will applaud anything from falling down while trying to pull himself to standing to a particularly tasty batch of homemade baby food to pretty much anything his adored older brother does.

The living room is currently littered in clothing as I try to put away things the boys have recently outgrown and pull out the things that either one of them might fit into in the coming cooler months. I confess that I get very sad when I have to put away some of the things Devin can't wear anymore. I'm hoping to convince my mom to make a quilt out of some of my favorites.

So here's Devin at 8 months playing in his exersaucer and having a bit of a chat with us (until he gags on his own thumb which tends to put a damper on any conversation).

Dev Chat from Michelle Madayag on Vimeo.