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.

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.

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.

Sooooo close.....

If he could just figure out what to do with that one leg he'd have it made.

Our little one has had a lot of new foods lately including asparagus and rutabega. This weekend he'll try papaya for the first time. He's a good little eater and enjoys trying new things. Unlike another little dude who lives in this house who will remain nameless.

He's had yet another cold this week. Ah, the wonders of the first few months at daycare.

Speaking of daycare...Devin gets to join the big kids on a school field trip tomorrow. They're going to the circus. They even get to go to a "meet and greet" beforehand and I understand there will be elephants. Cat gets to go, too. I am beyond jealous.

Check back for pictures!

He's wearing them right now. They fit perfectly.

Lately Cat and I have been enjoying looking back at Dax's journal to see when he was wearing the clothes his baby brother now wears. This is a fun but weird experience as Dax was always a bit below average growth percentiles so he was much older. For example, Devin wears these pajamas now that Dax was wearing when he was about 14 months old.

Dax circa October, 2005

Devin has totally mastered sitting up unassisted. He's so over sitting in his baby carseat and does very well, thank you, in a high chair when we go out to eat.

And speaking of eating? He's had such a variety of foods by now: apples, pears, grapes, mango, banana, plums, apricots, spinach, peas, carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, yogurt, rice cereal and oatmeal (and I'm sure I forgot something somewhere). He's up to three solid food meals a day but he still gets the majority of his nutrition from the mommy milk bar.

He's getting around a bit now as well. I'm not entirely certain how he's doing it but he rarely stays where you put him. Cindi says that he scoots around on his back at school and I've seen him push himself backwards on his tummy and bounce forward on his little diapered behind. Tonight he looked suspiciously close to figuring out how to push himself up on all fours which, while cool, is not good because we need to get some of Dax's toys with tiny parts out of the living room before baby brother decides to go crawling around.

He grabs at everything. EVERY. THING. He's like a grabby little octopus. Nothing is safe. He is showing preferences for certain toys but he will still pick a phone, a remote, or any article of clothing before a more traditional toy.

The other day he scooted over to this basket which was temporarily housing some toys and clothes that needed to be put away and he tipped it over and played happily until he tipped over in a joyful stupor and fell asleep in a big pile o' stuff.

Ahhhh. Bliss.

His crib is still in our room mostly because I still haven't gotten Dax's Old Room converted into Devin's New Room but also partly because Cat and I are both perfectly happy to have them in there with us. I can't speak for Cat but, for me, it is because I know he's my last baby and I just want to enjoy every moment. I love that when I wake in the night I can hear him right there across the room from me. I also love that when he wakes in the night it is just a few steps from my side of the bed to his crib to the Big Green Chair that I nurse him in while dozing.

Sometimes while I'm sitting in that chair with him in the middle of the night I find myself wishing he'd just stay this way for awhile. Why must there be outfits to outgrow and milestones to meet? Why can't there just be sweet milky smiles and soft coos and tiny hands tangled in my hair for just a bit longer?

Just down the hall his big brother sleeps with his long limbs draped across his bed. Sometimes I see glimpses of Dax in Devin's face and it is bittersweet because, while I love the gift of those memories, it only makes me think of the quick rush of time and how powerless I am against it.

I am thankful for every single beautiful blessed moment.

He loves daycare and Dax seems to be happy to have his baby brother nearby during the day. They don't spend the whole day together because Dax goes to the other side of the house for preschool while Devin stays with Miss Cindi and gets cuddled and hugged and smooched and spoiled.

Devin continues to be an incredibly mellow and happy little dude. He's also so very, very squishy and huggable and lovey and.....swoon.

I'm still making his baby food and having a ball doing it. I just made some spinach and tomato and I'm in the midst of making plums. Next up? Yams, yellow carrots, and an apple/orange compote. All of this I will freeze and he'll have food for a couple of weeks. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Of course he's still nursing as well. I'm thrilled to report that I've been able to keep up with him as I pump during my workdays. I would really love to not have to supplement with formula but we'll see how it goes.

I'll leave you with this...a picture of Devin wearing his brothers underpants. Just because.

He's still wearing mostly 12 month outfits. Some of the 6 to 9 months still fit him but not for long. Weird that he's average for height but outfits that should fit him keep coming unsnapped at the crotch. The kid has a long torso.

My favorite things about this week? He's starting to reach his arms out for me when he wants me, he pats me on the arm when I'm holding him, and he gives me giant drool-ridden and open mouthed smooches. I am feeling the love.

He finally decided he'd go ahead and do that rolling from front to back thing. He did it a couple times many moons ago and then I think he spooked himself or something because he boycotted it until just before his appointment. I think because he didn't want me to tell on him.

In other big news....he'll be starting daycare next week so Cat is dropping him off for a trial day on Friday. He's actually going to switch out kids, taking Dax out for a daddy and son day. Then Monday we will officially have two kiddos in preschool/daycare. I'm hoping his presence in "Dax's Territory" will not cause any issues. Time will tell.

Devin has definitely become Mr. Social lately. He loves going to the grocery store most because there are soooo many people there to charm. I can't tell you how many times I've been selecting apples and then turned to find someone cooing over my grocery cart.

At home he's getting pretty good at sitting up on his own. We put his boppy behind him for when he falls over backwards. It is so funny when he does tip over because he'll just lie there waiting for someone to notice that he needs to be helped up. That child is just so mellow.

Neil bought us this amazing thing called a Beaba Babycook and it arrived this weekend. I've been making Devin's food and this thing makes it so amazingly simple. It steams, purees, defrosts, reheats. I love it! This weekend I made an apple and pear compote and some eggplant and potato. Easy and fun and Devin loved the new foods. I actually tried them myself and they were indeed yummy.

He's also been getting quite good at getting his slobbery little paws on everything within reach. He can scoot a bit on his tummy to reach things and then rake them toward himself. He sometimes has to get creative in how he gets ahold of things but the end is always the same: right in the mouth.

Cat only has a couple weeks left to be a stay at home dad. Devin's first day at school with Dax will be on August 11th. He won't actually be participating in the school part, though. He'll be hanging out with Miss Cindi and Miss Merissa getting more attention than he'll know what to do with. They say you can't spoil a baby but I'm pretty sure they will find a way.

At 25 weeks our little man is starting to really make some noise. His main mode is still "Laid Back and Mellow" but he likes to toss a few shrieks and loud ramblings in there just to see if we are paying attention.

He also thinks that his brother Dax is THE FUNNIEST THING ON EARTH. Nobody and nothing can make Devin laugh like Dax can.

In other news, Devin added another new food to his repertoire: green beans. I would not say they were a hit so we'll give him awhile and try them again.

This week's Big News: CARROTS! He likes them. I guess. At least he tolerates them, unlike the squash that he puked up twice. I love this picture because it looks like he is LOVING the carrots but it is actually simply the result of Devin needing to cram things into his mouth whether they are covered in carrots or not.

He really does stick everything in his mouth. I know a bunch of you are reading this and thinking, "DUH! That's what babies do, you simpleton." I know, I know. But Dax didn't really do that so I became accustomed to being around a tiny human who didn't feel the need to cover everything I own in drool. Devin, once again, is not sticking to the status quo. He likes to throw us for loops (and then stick those loops into his mouth).

Next week: Devin's first fourth of July. Will there be fireworks? Hard to tell. We just got out from under the giant cloud of smoke that had been hovering over us all week so I would think folks might be a bit hesitant to shoot flaming things into the air. We'll see. The important thing is that it is a short work week. Yes, I've only been back for one week and I do already need a break. Because this is what I've been missing out on.

Cat is staying home with Devin for the next seven weeks. So far he's doing an awesome job (of course) and the two of them seem perfectly happy. Those jerks. Don't they know they are supposed to be miserable without me?

In all seriousness, returning to work has been extremely difficult. It was even harder this time than it was the first time because now I have two little ones at home. While I was on leave I got to help get Dax ready for school and cuddle with him for a bit first thing in the morning. I'm trying to figure out some balance that will still allow me to have some time with him in the morning before work but that also lets me GET to work before 10AM. And while I am at work, I absolutely ache for Devin.

Now that I've turned this entry into a serious downer I don't really know how to recover. Ummm....I have some pictures on the camera I need to download so I can post something recent but that will have to wait for this weekend. He's still growing with leaps and bounds, he's giggling a bit more often, chatting a little more, practicing rolling and sitting up and pulling himself to standing while holding our hands. We've given him a break from trying solids this week and this weekend I'm going to try giving him sweet potatoes. I'm also going to make sweet potato fries for Dax, the boy who will not eat anything.

Ahhh..the weekend. I can't wait for that.

At the beginning of the week he rolled from back to front. Cat and I both missed it. I had put him in his crib and went in the other room for a couple of minutes and, when I came back, he was on his tummy. Since then he's been rolling onto his tummy repeatedly and he's quite pleased with himself. Of course, he's forgotten how to get back over so he's getting stuck and frustrated from time to time.

Yesterday we had a little gathering with some of our friends and all our kids (6 of them all under the age of four). Devin decided to answer Erik's inquiry as to whether he had any new tricks by sitting up unassisted for the first time ever. He did it for a bit again today while he played with this nifty old toy of Dax's.

We tried to give him his first solid food tonight. It was butternut squash. I say tried because he really did not enjoy this experiment. Here's the face he was making just before he gagged and upchucked all down his front.

We will clearly wait a bit before trying this again.

I have one week left to stay home with Devin and then it's back to work. He will be staying home with daddy for 7 weeks before starting up at My School with his big brother. Unless I win the lottery or find someone who wants to pay me to be a stay at home mom.

Anyone?

He has not yet rolled back to front but he totally looks like he could if he wanted. He can roll from tummy to back if he chooses to (but he doesn't always). He's one laid back little dude, content to just relax in one spot until he's ready for someone to bring him something (Dax) or pick him up (everybody).

He's got yet another cold. This one is particularly mucousy so he's pretty much only able to sleep if held mostly upright. That means mommy gets to spend most of the night in a chair, holding a sleeping baby. At first you might think that sounds like a lovely way to spend the time but read again the "most of the night" part. I am soooo verrrrry tired.

Yesterday was, sadly, my last official day of maternity leave. I will begin my return to work by immediately taking two weeks of vacation. So, yeah. I only have two more weeks where I get to spend my entire day with my sweet baby. Another fabulous bonus to this leave has been getting to wake Dax up every morning and spend time with him before he goes to school. I've loved every single minute.

And, just so you know, I don't plan on handling my return to work gracefully. I'm pretty sure there will be weeping (and not necessarily just from the boys).

This weekend we put up the crib and moved him out of the cradle because he's getting too big and squirmy for it. I'm pretty sad about this development because I love that cradle. It is an absolutely beautiful piece of furniture but, more importantly, it was made by my dad when he found out I was pregnant with Dax. It means a lot to me. I love it so much that I contemplated for a moment having a third kid so that I could someday tuck another baby into that cradle. That's crazy love, people.

Here he is taking his last nap in the cradle.

And here he is in the crib.

The first night he slept in the crib I woke to find him sleeping on his side. This morning he was on his back but lying sideways across the width of the mattress. See what I mean about squirmy?

The rolling to his side is new this week. He looks like he's close to figuring out that he could keep on going and end up on his tummy. Also new this week is a funny little inchworm thing he attempts when he is on his tummy: he pulls his little diapered rump up in the air a bit and then tries to slide forward. It is most effective as a means of entertainment rather than a means of transportation. His final trick o' the week is pulling himself to standing while holding onto our fingers and then laughing maniacally as if to say, "Someday I'll be able to WALK and then you'll be screwed!"

To celebrate Devin's 18-week anniversary I bought myself a new video camera. Now I can stalk both my children even more successfully because, you know, 8 billion still photos just aren't enough.

So you can see Devin is getting so big and he's found his voice and he's training for the Olympic Jumparoo team. Shhhh! Don't tell him it doesn't exist.

I think he's teething. Why? Well, there's the incessant drooling, the acute grumpitis, the constant need to have something crammed into his mouth so he can gnaw on it. Oh! And the little white dot I can see on his bottom gum and the fact that I've slept in a chair for most of the past couple of nights because I can only manage to get him to sleep in short, fitful bursts while snuggled up on my chest. So, yeah. I suspect a tooth is behind all this fun.

He's got his four month appointment on Thursday. I predict he's at least in the 90th percentile for both height and weight. We'll see!