40 weeks and 4 days: Updates

I really stink at remembering to get the photos and videos off my iPod, so here is a BIG little update with stuff we've been doing.

We have pretty much finished baby proofing the house: outlet covers, a gate at the top and bottom of the stairs, and locks on just two cabinets with dangerous stuff.  Everything else is not dangerous, and therefore we're just going to tell her no.  She listens pretty well now, too.

 This was just a snap I took while we were playing in her room.

This one is hard to see, but I took it to show how she's sleeping on her face a lot now.  The back of her head is to the left, if that helps.  ;)

We borrowed one of the baby gates from my friend Jennifer, and when we went to pick it up, her whole adorable family wanted to play with Devyn.  They even got out an old exersaucer for her to play with!

This is just a sweet little video of Devyn and Bella playing.

This is a funny thing Dev's been doing with the dining room chairs.

And THIS is the piece de la resistance: walking by herself! (with her push toy)

9 Months Old

Dear Devyn,

I am just in awe of you, little one.  You have grown and changed so much in just the last month.

• You have learned to move on your own! You crawl or use two hands, one knee, and one foot to get anywhere you want to go.
• You can go from sitting up to crawling on your belly to sitting up again!  You are rolling over, sitting up on your own and crawling all the time now.
• You went from mostly "ahhs" and "oohs" to distinct syllables like "ba," "ga," and most importantly, "Dada!" and occasionally "Mama!"
• You are eating finger foods by yourself—and your favorite is still avocado.

• You got your first two teeth!  (I know you look a little cross-eyed in this photo, but it shows off your teeth!)
• You have pulled yourself up to standing for the first time!
• You've also gotten yourself into trouble (like getting into the dog food!) and have heard the word "No!" uttered sharply in your direction for the first time.  ;)

Every day you're doing new things.  I feel like I can hardly keep up!  It's like you went from being an infant to a baby in just a matter of days.

Your favorite books are ones with flaps you can lift up by yourself to find the pictures underneath.

Your favorite toys are alphabet blocks, a shape puzzle, and the musical walker you got from Poppy and Mickey for Christmas.

Your favorite songs are "Shake your Sillies Out" and "If You're Happy And You Know It," both of which we sing at story time.

In the wider world this month, Newt Gingrich just won the South Carolina Republican primary last night, the Broncos made it to the playoffs, but did not go to the Super Bowl, and the singer Etta James died this week.

We have been doing sleep training this month and you have been doing so very well.  You nap for about an hour and a half twice a day now and sleep mostly through the night, getting up just once to eat.  We still nurse four or five times a day, but you are eating so much new food all by yourself.  For breakfast today, for example, you had some egg yolk and some cubed pears.  Your favorite foods right now seem to be white beans, applesauce, and avocados—of course.

You are demanding my attention now, little one, so I will close for now by telling you that you are the light of our lives.  We love you so much it can never be put into words.

Always and always, my baby,

~Momma

40 weeks, 1 day: All Star

38 weeks, 6 days: kisses

38 weeks, 5 days: Devyn and Dolly

As you can probably tell, I'm trying to take more photos, and when I take them with my iPod, I can email them directly to the blog and post.  So, you will probably be getting more posts, more photos, but possibly less explanation (because it's challenging to type on an iPod when you're used to typing 70wpm on a keyboard!).

Christmas in Dallas — Part 2

This is my favorite photo I took the entire holiday, and I snapped it with my iPod while they sat swinging on the porch.

I realize it's WAY past Christmas, but I wanted to post the last of these photos from our trip!

On New Year's Eve, we got a BIG surprise—Aunt Emily, Uncle Matt and Cousin Grey came out to meet us.  Uncle Matt was pretty smitten with Dev, and I think the feeling was mutual.  So glad you guys finally got to meet!

Grey could show Devyn a thing or two about opening presents. After this Christmas, he's a pro!

Pop and Grey have very similar taste in hats.

We had a wonderful time, both in Dallas and in Santa Fe.  Thank you thank you a million times to everyone who helped make it so special.  It will definitely be a Christmas we won't forget.

Bath time

 I'm trying out mobile photo blogging. 

(see full image)

Sent from my iPod

LOL photoblogging

Hi there,
lacylu42 just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"Laundry"

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

Cousin Seth

Dearest Devyn,

Your cousin Seth is very sick.  A week ago last Friday, he went to the doctor and they found some things that they wanted to check out, so last Monday, they sent him to a hospital in Albuquerque to see a specialist.  By Thursday they had determined that he has T-cell leukemia, a very serious kind of cancer, and they started him on treatments that will probably last for at least three years.

This is very hard for me to wrap my mind around, because just three weeks ago we saw him at Christmas.  We played with him in your Grandma and Grandpa's living room.  I made gingerbread cookies with him in Grandma's kitchen.  And he was fine.

Of course, he wasn't.  This disease didn't happen over night.  He was already sick when we saw him, even though nobody knew it.  But it's hard not to think of it that way.  I can only imagine what your Aunt Heather and Uncle Eric are thinking and feeling right now.

The good news is that his doctors are very optimistic.  Many, many of the kids who get sick with this disease fight it, they fight it very hard, and they win.  Many kids get better and live the rest of their lives better.  And that is what we are all going to hope and pray for for Seth.

But it's going to be a long road.  For him, for his mom and dad and his sister, and for all of us who love him.  And I wanted to write to you about it today, because it's an important thing that's happening in our lives.  We're going to do everything we can to help Seth and his family, and I believe, with all my heart, that he's going to beat this.

Love always,
~Mommy

Christmas in Dallas—Part 1

After Santa Fe, we flew to Dallas for a few days to celebrate with my family there.

Devyn was pretty good on the flight out, but we were all excited to be landed and settled in Dallas.

She got to open some presents here, too, including a cool walker thing from Poppy and Mickey!

She doesn't really get opening presents yet, but she sure likes the results! (You don't think she's spoiled, do you?) ;)

The next day, we got to spend some time with Great Grandma...

...and then the Niriders came to spend some time with all of us as well!

Devyn and Elliot got along REALLY well.  Elliot, you're welcome to come babysit ANY time you like!

More to come, including our New Year's surprise!

37 weeks, 4 days: Avocado

This kiddo LOVES her avocado.  And I think she's started doing some signs, as you'll see in the video.

She does, however, end up wearing a lot of it.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!  Here are a few photos from our Christmas Day in Santa Fe.

These are Devyn's (hard won!) reindeer jammies!

A pretty Christmas dress for my pretty little girl!

Playing with cousin Eirene.

Cousin Seth is WATCHING YOU!

We had such a great time in Santa Fe.  It was an absolute joy to watch the kids play together, and I can't wait to see how much fun it will be when Devyn is just a little older.  We got to open lots of presents and play lots of games, eat yummy food (of course!), go shopping and make gingerbread cookies together.