The Kohlmans

I updated Lincoln's six-month post with this since he had his doctor's appointment last week (just in case anyone's interested in the stats): You weigh 17 lbs., 12 oz., which puts you in the 55th percentile - up from the 30th percentile at four months! You are about 27" long (53rd percentile) and have a 17.75" head (84th percentile). Dr. Clouse said we must be spending lots of time reading to you! If only she knew! You definitely wear 6-9 month, 9 month, and some 12 month clothes, but your diapers are still at the smallest snaps or in-between those and the next smallest. You wear size 3 in disposables, but the only time you've worn those since July was when we had to strip your cloth diapers this weekend.

Wow! It's been half a year already?! Lincoln, at six months, You have started to sit on your own... for just a few seconds... if you're balanced just right. You are starting to prefer mommy and daddy to other people, especially people you don't see every day. It's not total "stranger danger" mode yet, but you will fuss a little if we walk away when you're with someone unfamiliar. Thankfully, you know Penny well enough that there are no issues during morning drop off. When you want to nurse and someone else is holding you, you will arch your back and reach for me with whatever arm is free. You love to eat! Your favorites so far are pears, peaches, and sweet potatoes, but you'll eat just about everything we've tried so far. Carrots are even okay now, bell peppers are now the one thing you won't eat. You started eating three meals of solids just this week, but you still nurse/have bottles the same number of times a day. You'...

One of the things I'm doing in the library this year is creating different displays to encourage students to come in and check out a book. This way they don't even have to browse the shelves! This coming week September 22-28, is Banned Books Week, during which the book nerds celebrate all things banned and challenged. I found the basic idea on Pinterest and added my own quotations and books from our collection.

We took Lincoln to the park for the first time this weekend. He wasn't big enough for most of it, but, as we predicted, he loves to swing! (Yes, I realize that I have a ridiculous number of pictures of him swinging! In my defense, the DSLR just makes it so easy... And he is making the best faces ever in some of these!)

We spend quite a bit of time reading to Lincoln; we have since just about the day he was born. The bookshelves in his room are filled with popular classics, old favorites, and new finds. Although I like variety in the reading, I definitely find myself drawn to a few new-to-me gems. These are my current favorites. I am the Heartland, Great and wide. I sing of hope. I sing of pride. Heartland came to us via my Grandma & Grandpa Loganbill's downsizing. I had never read it until I picked it up one afternoon to read Lincoln to sleep (back when he would relax while reading, rather than squirm until he himself is holding the book). The rhythmic words on each page paint a picture of the plains that must be experienced to be understood. All the illustrations are paintings. It must be out of print, because the copies on Amazon are a bit pricey. I may order a new copy soon, just in case this one gets ripped. I love it that much. This is Not My Hat is a tale of a...

A few weeks ago, I was picking Lincoln up from Penny's like I do every day. As I got him buckled into his car seat, Jordan, one of the little girls there, helped me out by putting his pacifier in - sideways. Just as I was about to reach over to turn it for him, Penny said, "Thanks, Jordan! You're such a good helper. Let's see if Lincoln can get it turned." Sure enough, a few seconds later it was right side up (and then promptly spit out). And in that moment, I learned how important it is for me to learn the art of resisting. Even though it was such a little thing, Penny's enthusiasm for Lincoln's independence made me realize that I have to see these little things that way as well. Parenthood is walking a fine line. It is allowing him to pick himself up after he falls while still being there with a hand out when he needs it. It is not refusing to comfort him; rather it is giving him space (at appropriate times and in appropriate lengths) to learn to com...