Don't blink or you'll miss him

Did you see that? No... You must've blinked! I told you not to! Ok, let's try this again.... Did you see it this time? Yes? Good!

Watch out Dev...

Slow down buddy... You don't need another ticket...

No... The cord is not a toy...

Don't pull on the dog bowl.... You'll spill the water...

Don't turn the dial on the receiver....

Don't chew on the lamp cord...

No, no no... Don't, don't don't... Sheesh! They never let me have any fun!

Ok... I guess you can have Taylor's toys.... And our shoes....

Our little boy is growing into a little man! If you blink you'll miss it! At 8 months, he's on the prowl for new adventures and buried treasure. He's always traveling around the house with his suitcase (binkie) and always finding new places to go. His favorites: splashing in/dumping Taylor's water bowl, turning the dials on the receiver, chewing/pulling on the lamp cord (or any cord he can get).

He loves spinning his ABC ball and knows if he spins it, it'll sing to him. It does the ABC's and animals (The animals have something to say.... Frog! Ribbit Ribbit! Say it again! Ribbit Ribbit!... The animals have something to say.... Pig! Oink Oink! Take it away! Oink Oink!... The animals have something to say...) Be careful because that song gets stuck in your head!!!

He's such a copycat too! Blowing raspberries, sticking out his tongue, and he's working on clapping (he'll slap his knees instead of putting his hands together).

Other than getting REALLY fast at crawling, he's working on pulling himself up on things (and pulling things off shelves). He's getting pretty good, but hasn't quite figured out that he needs to hold on to something if he wants to stand up. He'll crawl to the middle of the room and then get into a squat position and try to stand up. Needless to say, he falls right back down. But he has the concept down.

He has also decided that he wants to bite me. OUCHY!!!! So I think I'm pretty much done breastfeeding. He'll bite me and I say "no biting" and then put him down. 5 minutes later we'll try again. One of these times he'll figure it out. But my production has slowed significantly as I'm really only feeding him twice a day. The rest is a bottle with rice cereal (a mixture of milk and water) or his pureed food. He's gotten more adventurouse with his food too. But still doesn't like peas or peaches.

Good news: I can now eat beans!!! I no longer have to avoid them like the plague!!!! To celebrate, Dustin took us out to Mexican for lunch this weekend. It was SO tasty! And then for dinner last night I got to eat my vegetable soup without picking out all the beans (and there are a lot in there). Shall I make the black bean spinach dip mom??? I think so!

That's pretty much it. Devan's been keeping us busy chasing him. And he's grown lately, but stayed the same weight :) We can see a neck, ankles, and his calves are smaller. He still has his thunder thighs :) His arms and legs have gotten longer and his head has gotten bigger. It's been harder to get his head through his shirts, and all his pants are too short (except the 12 month ones he got for Christmas). According to Dustin's measurements, he's grown 2 inches in 2 months. But we'll see what the doctor measures (at the end of the month)....

Christmas Pictures

More pictures are posted from Christmas...

Devan enjoyed opening ALL the presents, whether they were for him or not :) We'll let him slide this year....

Pictures are posted!

OK everyone.... I have most of the pictures posted! To the right under "Picasa Web Gallery". They're under the 7 month folder. Check it out. Most of it is from our trip to OR, but I'm still missing a bunch of pictures.

I'll add more later and let you know.

Merry Christmas Eve :)

Winter Wonderland and Santa!

This past weekend was crazy! We got 7 inches of snow! 2 years in a row that we got significant snow out here. Very unusual...

We all bundled up and played in the snow. A girl down the street (Grace, 4 yrs) threw snowballs at Taylor and they both had a blast. Devan watched Dustin and I shovel the driveway from his stroller.

Sunday, most of the roads had been plowed so we ventured out and did some errands- just to get out of the house. Also, it was the holiday party at the clubhouse of our subdivision. Cookies, punch, activities/crafts for kids, and of course... Santa! Devan was terrified of the man! Did not want to be on his lap at all! We got pics, but need to get them posted.... Amazing how some kids are terrified to sit on his lap, but don't care that he sneaks into their house in the middle of the night while they're sleeping....

Pics to come... Hopefully within the next couple days, since I have time off for Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Update Time!

Wow! I can't belive it's been almost a month since I've posted anything.... Life has been CRAZY!!!

Where to begin....

We just got back from our trip out west and we're all trying to adjust back to life by ourselves... Devan has been having his usual withdrawl tantrums and just wants to be held and talked to 24/7. Lots of crying, snot, and tears...

Our trip was awesome! It was so nice having the extra couple days in town so we didn't feel AS rushed as usual. Sorry to all those we didn't get a chance to visit with....

On the first day we jumped around to all the relatives, making quick visits with everyone. Then, later that evening, we all gathered for a GREAT football game! Too bad we lost by 4... Everyone was bummed, except for Annie. We'll convert her though! You can't be a duck in a beaver family... It just doesn't work! I have high hopes that we'll be able to lure her in though... it'll happen eventually Annie :)

Devan had a blast finding the perfect Christmas tree! Out here we have to go to Home Depot so I'm glad we could give him the true Oregonian experience! We all got bundled up and off we went to find the perfect one... First was with Grammy and Grampy and Uncle Derek and Annie. Dustin had the priviledge of finally getting his perfect tree- a big fat bush that's as wide as it is tall :) A couple days later it was my turn to find the perfect tree- a 20 ft noble with lots of room for ornaments. Nana, Papa, Aunt Steph and Michael all trekked through the woods in search for the perfect one. Didn't take long for us to agree (except for Dustin).

Devan also got 2 Christmas dinners! The first one at Grammy and Grampy's house with all of the relatives. It was so overwhelming that he had to take a nap! Played a fun game about how well you know each other. Then on to white elephant.... Always an ordeal, but this year there wasn't much stealing of gifts. I think everyone was pretty happy with what they got. There were some good gifts this year! Later in the week was dinner #2 at Nana and Papa's house. And Devan got to play with some boys a little closer to his age... And they got him a cool toy and showed him how to use it. He just couldn't take his eyes off those boys running and jumping around, soaking in all their movements and storing it for future use :)

I was able to go to Teal to check out my mom's stuff in the gallery. Very cool! And we went to the craft fair in the MU Ballroom as well. And another day we went to Albany to check out the hand-carved carousel that's in the works. We got to check out the current projects, talk to the carvers, watch them work, and watch them be painted. They are so detailed! And Devan got to sit on a completed one! He was more interested in the bow around the horses neck, but that's to be expected. At least we got a picture.

I also chopped off all my hair. 11 inches to be donated to Locks Of Love. And I'm loving my new style. So light and healthy :)

We also got to eat dinner with Erin and Scott in Wilsonville. So glad we finally got to catch up in person! Good convo, good food... and how can we forget the poop fiasco???? Always good for a laugh :)

Had a "girls day" in Eugene (plus Devan) and spent the day shopping. Devan was such a good sport that Nana bought him some clothes and we found the perfect "baby's 1st Christmas" ornament...

And Devan learned to crawl while we were there! Started out only taking a couple "crawls" to get his binkie, but now there's no stopping him! He's getting faster and will just crawl because he can :) Time to baby-proof the house.... (Had to stop at the store on the way home from work and pick up some outlet covers. He thinks those are neat.)

There were a couple days in there that weren't the best... Several of us got sick, including Devan (can't be a true trip home unless we all get sick, right?). This was Devan's first cold... He was a trooper though! Had a couple rough nights because of his stuffy nose, but we all survived.

I have TONS of pictures and video to share, but I'll have to post those later... After all, I am a single mom this week with Dustin back up in Wilmington, so I don't have much free time (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

Onsie... or Twosie?

We've been working really hard on a new tooth! The corner finally broke through! We've had a rough morning- very fussy.... Poor guy :(

We can see the tooth- just about ready to pop through all the way. And maybe a second one next door????

We shall see.... But until then, he is glued to his binkie. Whatever helps... :)

Video Time!

Before Dustin left on Sunday we went up to Babies R Us to get a highchair. They had a new one that was dark wood instead of the usual plastic. Perfect! It matches the rest of our furniture! The bumbo was just too small- pinched is thunder thighs and he hated it.

This is his first meal in his new highchair:

Get some food in him and he's very chatty! And LOVES blowing raspberries...

Tonight's dinner was a good one! He finished off the rest of his green beans left over from yesterday (2.5 oz) and then moved on to carrots. One down (2.5 oz) and opened another one. Ate another 1.5 oz out of that one. What a big eater!

As we all know.... what happens after you finish eating???? Find out at the end of this video ;)

If only the video hadn't cut off..... Good thing I'd already taken off his clothes! This one came out the top and all over his highchair... Very impressive :)

Merry Christmas... TSO style!

I am so pumped! TSO was bigger and better than ever!!!!! 5th row was AMAZING!! 25 feet from the stage... and you can see EVERYTHING! 3 straight hours of TSO....

Lets start with what's new and improved....

• A new stage- they had 3 lifts in the front and a "floating" stage in the back. All equiped with FIRE.
  
• New huge video screens that moved along the back wall- and cool "pictures" flashing on them.


• New pyrotechnics- More fire, more smoke, liquid nitrogen, and fireworks!


• Better showmanship- The drunk guy at the bar didn't just come out and sing his song like usual. He came out swaying and drinking from a "vodka" bottle. Took a long time to start the song because he was interacting with the guitarist and stopped during the song to drink from his bottle. Very funny.
  

And they played songs from their new album. (But I missed the keyboard "key-off" that they usually do- always entertaining)

There were some new people- the girl singers are always changing. But this year the lead electric violinist was a female. And there were some new singers that have songs on the new album. But overall the main people were the same.

We didn't get snowed on because we were too close. Never thought I would say that.... but it was worth it!

The lead electric guitar gal went running around the stadium during one song. And she stood on a chair less than 10 feet from us! How cool!

At the end of the show they threw out guitar picks and handed out drum sticks. So close to getting a pick! Darn it!

And as the lights dimmed down the stadium filled with chanting: TSO... TSO... TSO...

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good night! Yes it was!

And now for the videos.... They're not the best quality because they're from our cellphone and I managed to drain the whole battery on these 5 clips. There's a lot of background interference, so for those of you who don't know the songs, you might not be able to hear them... but give it a shot :)

Holy Cow! ..... or fox???

Sitting on the couch this morning, drinking my coffee while Dustin's feeding Devan. All of a sudden Boo jumps on the table and almost runs into the window. What's gotten him so excited? Can't be the squirrels... He'll sit and watch them forever, but doesn't get very excited.

I look out the window and see.... A FOX!!! Just making his way through our backyard trees....

How cool is that?!?!? Wonder if he got lost...

1st Halloween

Devan had his first Halloween.... He was a lion. ROAR!! We put on his costume and colored his nose black. Such a cutie! And we took TONS of pictures... (to the left- in the PicasaWeb Gallery). Unfortunately, the top was too poofy so he couldn't sit very well- kept falling over backwards. So it didn't stay on for long. And it was pretty warm (80 and drizzly all day- very humid).

John and Linzy came over for the night. We had burgers and onion rings for dinner (with Dustin's special onion ring sauce). Devan showed off his costume to the neighbors and we oohhed and aawwed at their little one's costumes. Then we took his costume off for the night and settled in to the ringing doorbell and some good football.

Overall we had 42 little ones between 6 and 8pm. More than last year. A very good turnout. Devan fell asleep on Linzy around 7pm (he was tuckered out from the long day of errands and pumpkin carving and only a short nap). The boys played Wii for awhile while Linzy and I chatted. Devan woke up and we had brownies and ice cream for desert. I turned off the porch light at 8pm before the teenagers came by. Last year they came by and wanted candy- and weren't even dressed up! Not this year. They can go buy their own candy :P

We watched the U of O- USC game for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, we didn't get Fox Sports, which was airing the OSU game on tape delay. Too bad... But John kept us updated from his Blackberry.

They left around 9:30 as we were getting Devan ready for bed. We're hoping tonight he'll go to bed early because of the time change.... fingers crossed....

New subject...

In the gallery there are also pics of his first real food. We had to do peas because that's all we had (we got a bunch from our neighbor, but most of them were Stage 2 foods with mixtures). He definitely did NOT like peas. I agree... peas are nasty!

Tried peas again last night. Nope. Still doesn't like them. But it was hilarious to watch his face when he gagged on it! I know... we're terrible parents...

So tonight we tried carrots. It's runnier so he thought it would be funny to spray us with carrots each time I gave him some. But it went down a little (and I emphasize "little") easier than the peas. Still did a couple gagging faces and let it run out of his mouth. But he managed to eat a little more. We'll try again later tonight and see if we can get a little more in him. I'm not giving up. He's going to have to eat them sometime.... He can't always have milk... And I make him wait for a bottle after feeding him. Don't want him to think all he has to do is refuse the veggies and he'll get milk.

It's been 20 minutes now since his carrots and he's still hungry. Better wrap this up and attend to the little lion :)

Who's ready for green beans...???

Just got back from Devan's 6 month check-up. He's a happy, HEALTHY boy (but we already knew that, didn't we)...

Some stats first:
weight: 21 lbs (97%)
length: 26 inches (50%)
head circumference: 17.25 inches (50%)

Wonder what percentage his thighs would be in.... ;0)

The doc was impressed with his sitting up skills (especially since the heavier ones tend to have more troubles). Not our man though! He's an expert sitter-upper ;) and has been for a month. (He thinks he'll be running before he walks). Hee hee hee...

He commented several times on his personality. He was a crazy boy in there! Babbling and smiling and laughing and flapping his arms and loving the crinkly paper on the table... Just full of himself and enjoying all the attention.

No teeth yet, but they're in there....

Still yeast problems (to be expected with all his michelin man rolls)

Now on to the best part... FOOD!!! Like he needs any more of that ;)

• Start with green beans or peas. Give him one for 3 days. If there's no reaction then you can add another vegetable (preferred ones: green beans first, peas second, carrots third). Avoid the "sweet" vegetables and all fruit for awhile. Why would he go back to eating peas (yuck!) when you can have bananas???
• Start with one food once a day. Then slowly move into twice a day.
• Use Stage 1 food. Stage 2 is a mixture between 2 and if there's a reaction then you don't know which food it is. But if green beans and carrots both went ok, then you can use stage 2 green beans and carrots mixture.
• Since he doesn't like the cereal you can mix it in with his veggies (to get the iron).
• Serve the food at room temperature. If he doesn't eat it all then put it in the fridge and serve it cold at the next feeding. Don't cater to the "veggies are hot and fruit are cold"
• At 8 months he can start having a little meat (like beef stew stage 2 food, or even a little shredded chicken from our dinner)
• Once he has upper and lower teeth he can munch on Cheerios

And then he got 2 shots in the leg and one oral vaccine. He did pretty good. Got through the first one and then cried after the second one, but only briefly. We made silly faces and he forgot all about it.

Gonna go walk Taylor and then look through the baby food that our neighbor gave us to see if there's any green beans or peas for dinner... :0)

6 Months

Devan is 6 months today! He's our big boy and life wouldn't be the same without him...

He's been a sponge lately. Soaking everything up and loving life. He's mastered the art of sitting and can scoot around on his bottom. He's gotten really good at reaching for things and can stretch farther than you would think. He can get anything he wants, eventually.

He's working on his crawling skills, a little at a time. He'll get up on his knees from sitting and when he's on his stomach he'll scoot backwards.

Yesterday he had a playdate at the office- with Lucy James. She's a year old and the cutest little girl. She was crawling around everywhere. Devan was fascinated! He would watch her and then get on his knees and then sit back down and watch. He really wanted to join her! She'd come up to him and pet his head and say "gentle". And she got out her animal book and told him the animal sounds. So cute!

Friday is Devan's doc appointment. He'll get more shots, get measured and weighed, and we'll get the OK for real food! Yum!

Stay tuned for the "facts" on Friday...

O(SU)-so-close!

Close but no cigar..... 6 stupid points....

Derek called to say the game was being shown on JustinTV. Never heard of them, but we got to watch the game :)

At halftime they finally switched the game to ABC. Guess ABC realized the mistake they made in showing the Texas-Missouri game ;) So the second half we got to watch in HD. MUCH better :)

It was a good game overall.... and long. We were in bed by midnight, but we had to finish the game, even if we did lose by 6....

Why I hate ABC

They're not playing the game out here!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!? How can they not play the OSU-USC game?!??!?! It's going to be historic! Quizz is going to rock them.

But NOOOOO...... they're playing the Texas-Missouri game.... Who care about them?!??!?

Guess I'll have to get updates online.....

GO BEAVS!!!!!

It's been awhile....

.... since I've posted anything. Sorry! Life has been very hectic lately and this just keeps getting pushed back....

Where to start....

As most of you know, Dustin was gone all of last week. He went to Wilmington for a business trip, so we were left to fend for ourselves once again ;) Overall, it went much smoother than last time. And as I like to remind Dustin- I'm an independant woman now! (I think he hates it, but I still need my handyman every once in awhile).

Devan and I had fun though. We spent all night, every night playing. We worked on our standing skills and his leg strength has significantly improved. And we wowed Dustin when he got home with his new skill: he'll stand at the ottoman for a long time if you put toys on top for him to play with. And he's starting to figure out the whole jumping thing in his jumper. And he's figured out if you smack your hands enough you can hit the button that turns on the noise and lights :)

While he was gone the weather turned crazy cold! All over the news they said this was December weather! We had to turn on the heat because it was in the upper 40s-low 50s! And now this week we're in the upper 70s! Crazy crazy....

We didn't do much while he was gone. Some laundry and dishes... Devan was helpful, of course. He chewed on socks while I folded laundry and played with the spatula while I did dishes. We took long rides in our wagon and short walks with Taylor (it was raining). And we splashed in the bathtub....

Dustin got home and he was the perfect hubby! He basically watched Devan ALL weekend long! I really enjoyed my break and was happy to do housework while he played with Devan. And when Devan took his nap, so did we. It was another gray rainy weekend so we hunkered down and enjoyed the quiet time :) Just lounged around in our pjs all weekend.

On another subject, I've posted a link on the right side just under our picture. It's a link to pictures we've taken and I've posted to Picasa Web. It's a start and most are duplicates of what I've posted on the blog previously, but check it out.

Chao for now!

Pumpkin Patch Fun

This weekend Devan had his first pumpkin patch experience and he loved it. We went to Ashland Berry Farm. Just gorgeous countryside, acres of pumpkins, BBQ food, moon bounce, hay obstacle course, etc. Tons and tons of childrens activities surrounded by gorgeous nursery with multiple coi ponds... and of course, acres of pumpkins and other crops.

We got there kinda late so we didn't get to do all the activities. But next year Devan will really love it. We took a hay ride waaaaaaayyyyy out to the back of the property. We spent a lot of time trying to find the largest pumpkins. Dustin had a really good one and we stashed it to pick up later. Unfortunately as we were leaving, we discovered it was gone. Oh well... But a couple people told us about this area in the back corner that had WHITE pumpkins and lots of gourds. So we went back there. I've never seen BIG white pumpkins before! They are so cool!

We got 2 white, 2 orange, and several smaller pumpkins and gourds. We put Devan on the cart at the berry farm to take pictures. He was digging the gourds! And everyone who passed said "aaawwww... how cute!" (Ok, I'm done bragging)
And then we got home and I set up the pumpkins to take more pictures.

Sunday we took the boat out for the last time of the season. Weather was perfect- mid to upper 70s, but the water temp had dropped 12 degrees. Brrrrrr..... We ended up going to the river and beaching in the gravel pit. We had a better spot this time because it wasn't as crowded and were able to slide the boat right up on the sandy beach. Taylor, Devan, and Grammy hung out on the beach while Dustin and I did some wakeboarding. I almost made it out of the wake this time and Dustin got about a foot of air on his jumps.

When we got back to the beach Candi says "when are you going?". I already did! She couldn't tell, so I guess that means that I'm as good as Dustin ;)

A picture of the snack boat. They have everything from Advil to hot dogs and most things are only $1. She's now Taylor's bestest buddy. She came over to talk a bit and brought cookies for Taylor. How nice! At first Taylor was protective (because Devan was with us), but when she saw the cookies she changed her mind and decided that this lady was ok.

Hanging on the beach. Taylor would run and swim to get her stick and then she'd shake to get the water off. Well... Devan thought this was hilarious! So we'd toss the stick close and she'd come out and shake. Devan would laugh and laugh and laugh. Then Taylor would do it over and Devan would laugh.... This was a cute game for a LONG time. Taylor had fun fetching her stick and Devan had fun watching her shake after each time out of the water.... How simple life is when you're an infant....

Devan in his new Halloween pjs (thanks Grammy). He's all "skin and bones".... he he he.... As you can see, he's working on his leg strenth. It takes a lot to hold up all those rolls :)

Just having a blast...

Helping Grammy make cookie dough....

Crazy Productive Weekend

Our weekend was crazy-busy, but very very productive. We were able to get a lot done around the house- and finish outstanding projects that we kept putting off.

We were supposed to have a block party in our cul-de-sac on Saturday, but we postponed it because of the weather. We had some rain and was overall a gray-blah day. Us Oregonians know how that goes ;)

Saturday we did errands. And when Devan went down for his nap, Dustin and I worked on the "shed" under the house. We finished building the shelves (I used the nail gun) and finished the door. Now it just needs a couple coats of paint and it'll be complete.

Sunday we cleaned out the garage and put everything in our shed that we seldom use. We took the opportunity to organize everything too. And we got the car, truck, and boat washed.

Now that I write it down, it doesn't seem like that much. But we worked hard!

Devan did a log roll yesterday. Now that he's a pro at rolling onto his stomach he's trying to figure out how to get back to his back. He did it once though!

Devan and Taylor are great friends. Devan sits on the floor next to Taylor. She licks his face and he tries to grab her tongue. He'll grab her jowls and tug on them, or he'll grab her ears and try to eat them. And when Taylor yawns he laughs and laughs and laughs. Once he gets mobile, they'll entertain each other.

Long-Awaited Pics

Weekly Update

Life has been very busy so I haven't had a chance to write anything. Where to start....

This past weekend Aunt Pat came up for the weekend. Her and Devan had a blast playing. On Saturday we took the boat up to Lake Anna. It was a nice lake- we have never been there before so it was an adventure. They had a nice dock and ramp- easy to launch the boat. We were able to get lots of wakeboarding in. Dustin had a good time trying to get some air and jump the board. He was able to get a little, although he thought it was a lot more :) I did better too. Had some good runs and was able to move around a little on the board. But I was too scared to go outside the wake :P

Before we got to the lake we stopped at Gander Mountain (like a Cabella's). We got a longer ski rope and Devan got some cool shades and a stuffed animal bird that cheeps when you squeeze it. He was a good sport about wearing the shades on the boat and enjoyed chewing on the bird.

Some other excitement: Dustin is now a burglar. Ok, not really. But he's a hero. 9pm on Sunday, our doorbell rings. Who would that be?!?! It was our neighbor. She was outside and her daughter accidentally locked them out of the house. So Dustin had to get them back inside. He ripped out a couple screens until he could pry a window open. The daughter, Lauryn, was the helper. She felt really bad so Dustin did a good job making her the "savior". She got to hold the flashlight for Dustin and hand him tools. And when he finally got the window open she got to climb in the window and unlock the front door. High fives all around for Lauryn!!

The other night we had some yummy Tillamook cheese on our burgers. Thanks for the birthday present Grandma and Grandpa Harrison! It was tasty! Sure do miss the Tillamook cheese out here...

Other news: Devan rolled over 3 times today- completely on his own! What a big boy! He now eats cereal, sits up, and is working on rolling over!

We got new phones. Samsung Rogue. Love it! And it has a nice camera- perfect for those Devan pics that everyone loves so much :)

I'll try to get pics posted.... when I get a chance ;0)

Lake Gaston

Yesterday we spent the day at Lake Gaston. It's a HUGE lake that runs along the VA/NC state line between I-95 and I-85.

It was a great day. Weather was perfect- partly cloudy (so you don't get fried) and low 80s. But the water was a cold 76 degrees (compared to the warm bath water of Lake Chesdin and the James River at 87 degrees).

Devan had fun hanging on the boat with Grammy while mom and dad got lots of wakeboarding time in. And guess what??? I GOT UP ON THE WAKEBOARD!!!! Second time trying it and I got up! YES!!! Once Dustin figured out the speed for me, I was able to get up without any trouble. Easy peasy :)

And pictures will be posted soon to prove it ;)

We both got lots of runs in and are sore today to prove it! And we had some relaxing time floating around the lake. Laying in bed last night I was still rocking like I was on the boat!

After a long day on the water we stopped at a local pizza joint- Danny & Olga's pizza. It didn't look too appetizing when we got it, but boy was it delicious! The sauce had a different flavor and it was good! Hit the spot after boating. YUM!

Pulled in the driveway around 8:30pm. A long exhausting fun day of boating. Looking forward to next weekend.... where shall we go next?

ooohhhh.....eeeesssss.....yyyooouuuuuu....

Oregon State, fight fight fight!

Go Beavs!!! We won the first game of the season! Off to a good start. And I hear the second and third strings got playing time as well. 34-7 baby! Now that's how you play!!

Out here, we couldn't watch or listen to it. But thanks to Erin, I was kept up to date with texts. Thanks E!!!

All 3 of us were decked out in our Beaver gear for the game.

Man! I just love college football season!!! And Devan is anxious to wear his Beaver gear with pride!

-Other news for the week:

-Yesterday we had no A/C for 6 hrs! Dustin was trying to figure out how to fix it. If you can avoid calling in the pros, then do it! I don't want to spend a couple hundred dollars.... We had all the windows open and fans going. 83 in the house and 74 outside. Went out to dinner because I didn't want to cook in the hot house and make it hotter. About 11pm and it worked! Finally! At least we could sleep in the coolness... Ahhhhh.... so nice.... How we take A/C for granted....

-Last weekend Devan had his first "real meal"... rice cereal!!! He LOVED it! We took TONS of video, but are having problems getting it loaded, so we'll keep trying. But for now, here's a couple pictures:

The next time I put him in his seat, put on his bib, and got out the cereal, he got so excited! He KNEW what it was and couldn't wait. So cute!

-Here are some other pictures:

-We put him in his old bassinett to see how he fit. He now takes up the whole thing! And to think how small he was 4 months ago....

4 Month Check-Up

Devan is 4 months today!!! Can't believe it!

His stats:
- 18 lbs (90th percentile)
- 25 inches long (50th percentile)
- 16.5 inches head circumference (50th percentile)

So... he's a chunk-ster :)

We got some good info- he's right on track with developmental skills. (And the doc said the "chunkier" babies might need more of a push when learning to roll over because it's harder for them with the extra pounds). Hee hee hee... but he's perfectly chunky :)

He's starting to teeth and his bottom two should poke through around 6 months. The doc showed us he teeth- pretty cool! Like little chick-lets (on the top) if you touch the gums. And he gave us some tips for soothing his toothaches.

He's ready for rice cereal!!! Can't wait!! Some signs he's ready: watching you eat, smacking his lips when you eat, good head control (when he can lift it when he's on his stomach), has control over his tongue, etc. And he has all of these! So the doc recommended playing with the consistency of the cereal. Some like it thin and some like it thick. But he said his kids preferred it thicker than oatmeal. When it was thin his kids would spit it everywhere, but would eat it when it was thicker. So he said to start with 1 Tbspn once a day and see what he does. This will be fun :)

He also said his eyes will most likely be blue. Hooray!!! He says they're REALLY blue and has an 80% chance of staying that way. Love it.

We had a conversation about his yeasties.... Need to put on his medicine 4 times/day instead of 2 and then put Desitin/Vaseline over top so he doesn't rub it off with his activity. It's just not going away.... Stupid humidity! After a couple days in Oregon it was gone. Maybe we just need to move back.... :)

He got 2 shots and an oral vaccine. So far he seems to be doing better. Cried a little when he got the shots, but was easily soothed. And he got 2 cute Garfield band-aids.

Our little chunkster is happily average and that's all you can ask for :)

This Little Piggy....

Devan's new friends.... his toes!! Always grabbing them (or trying to and falling on his face)

"Now I'm stuck! Guess I'll chew on my bear blanket"

Here's a video of him grabbing them.... and then grabbing Taylor's mouth. But she's a good dog- doesn't care at all!

He's also become a drool monster! Always covered in drool.... Here's pictures of him in his crib when he was supposed to be taking a nap, but wanted to play. (And the drool from his lip)

Dustin's Home!

Yeah Hooray!!! Dustin's home!!! Boy did we miss him :) But we had fun without him too...

Luckily he was able to get re-routed and placed on standby through Charlotte. He was originally supposed to go through Philly. But they were having horrible storms and were cancelling all their flights. He would've spent the night in Philly... Not good! We had bad storms here too, but they rolled in early- around noon instead of 9pm.

This morning he's taken over his roll- got Devan up and fed- so I can sit and enjoy my cup of coffee and cereal at the computer :)

So enjoy the pictures of Devan....

Devan videos

We've taken some more videos of Devan. The first is his new toy- a Jumperoo!! Can't have a Johnny Jump Up because we don't have any door frames downstairs, so this is the alternative. Found one on Craigs List for $40 and it's only been used a couple times! YES! SCORE!! Normally $130 new. A grandma got it and her grandson didn't really like it. This is his first time in it (and notice how he tracks Taylor)

The second video is of Devan laughing (sorta). I was playing with him upstairs and he was giggling away. So I brought him down so Dustin could see (and record it). But he wasn't as into it as before. But it's better than nothing :)

Dustin left today for Ohio for work. He'll be gone all week. I'm going to be a single mom this week. Kinda scary.... but we can do it :)

Devan was helping us pack for Dustin's trip and we got some good pics:

I'll miss you daddy..... Hurry home!