Please visit me at my BRAND NEW SHINY BLOG!

I have a GREAT news! My new blog is up and running! Please visit me at Crazy about Kid Lit. I will be posting mostly book-related posts (with a few baby pictures and daily stuff sprinkled about). Not all book posts will be about kid lit (since I do read adult books too!) but the majority of them will be focused on middle grade and picture books that the kids in my class enjoy. I think you would enjoy them too - I will try to mention books that I believe adults would enjoy as well (such as Wonder by RJ Palacio).

I hope you enjoy!

PS: I have not decided what I will do with ALPITC. I will probably continue to update sporadically.

Big blog news!

I have been blogging here at ALPITC since 2008, but the last few years have been extremely slow. I knew I did not want to give up on blogging. I knew how wonderful it could be, but I also realized I had outgrown this corner of the web. In the past 8 years SO MUCH has changed in my life. I switched careers, got married, had a baby, moved countless times and bought a house.

During all of this, I was always a reader. Books never changed. Wherever I went, I carried a book. I always updated my Goodreads account, often way before I would update Facebook or Instagram (however, FB and IG have snuck into my daily life more and more in recent years and I'm horribly addicted). However, my point is, I'm passionate about books, reading and all things literacy. As a fourth grade teacher one of my ultimate goals is to ignite a love reading in my students. Most teachers are readers (not all, but they should be) and have the same goals as I do for "their kids."

This love of reading has naturally led me to the possibility of a book blog. I thought about it, thought about it and thought about it some more ... and now, well, I'm sick of thinking about doing something and ready to just do it!

Hopefully before school starts in late August, I will be launching a blog devoted solely to books and book reviews (ok, and maybe a few baby updates!). My focus will be on "kid lit" and mostly the genre of "middle grade." I find the term "middle grade" a little misleading, but MG typically means upper elementary but not lower elementary or YA. I do plan to review some picture books and YA every so often and probably some adult fiction, too.

I cannot wait to let you all know when it is ready!

Happy 6 months, Elise!

Dear Elise,
How are you already six months old?! Time has flown by and your dad and I have enjoyed every minute!

You are such a "good" baby and so easy going. We have slid you right into our lives without hardly skipping beat, it is almost like you have always been with us!

In the past month you have learned and changed so much! You are currently almost 15 lbs, which is still pretty small, but you are solid. Your weight is in the 23rd percentile. When people ask how old you are, they are consistently surprised because you're still a tiny peanut and you are really strong. You have been standing (with assistance) for months now and this month you began sitting up unassisted! You still need someone behind you or your boppy pillow in case you fall backward. Last week at the library's story time you flopped backward and hit your head. You were NOT a happy camper about that! Mom felt super bad about that.

Speaking of story time, you LOVE going every week. We go every Tuesday and Wednesday at the Des Moines library. If any other local library had baby story times we would be all over that and go everyday, but the DSM library is the only one that accommodates babies! You love seeing your friends and "playing" with the other babies. You LOVE people and are already a very social person. Mom cannot wait to see if you end up with Daddy's infectious people-person personality!

You are a wearing a mix of 3 month and 6 month clothing. The 6 month clothing is a little big and mom tries to shrink them in the dryer before you wear them. The weather right now is really hot and humid, so having some baggy clothing is probably not a bad thing. We try to get out everyday, whether that is for story time, lunch out with mommy's friends or grocery shopping. Either way, you are eagerly along for the ride and do not usually fuss. You are a great napper in the car and have taken many naps in your car seat while to and from various places. This summer together has been amazing!

You love to "talk" and you babble away sometimes. Mom wonders what you are talking about! This month you will try solids for the first time and we are hoping to skip purees. I know you are going to make the call though, and we will see what works for you. You do not have any teeth yet and it does not appear as if any are beginning to poke through, so that might make eating solids that aren't pureed a little difficult, but we will figure it out!

Later this month we are going on a camping trip and mom is really excited about that! I hope you have fun! We are bringing your pack n' play but, Mom hopes you just sleep with us. ;)

Other things you love: your jumperoo, your play mat, anything you can chew on, Zeke and Libby (any dogs and cats, really), you are obbbsesssssed with the turtle that is usually living in mom's classroom, but is home for the summer. You also like any toy that is crinkly. Most recently you have really loved your Sophie giraffe and we try to make sure we always have that nearby.

We cannot wait to see what changes are in store for the next 6 months!!!

We love you so much!

Love, Mom and Dad