What's New, What's Next and Who's Your Daddy

We just had our 4-month well baby doctor's visit. Lincoln now weighs 7.34 kg (about 17 lb) and is about 65 cm (about 26 inches). He went from being in the 25th percentile for height and weight to being in the 75th percentile for both. I thought I had seen a visible, relatively sudden, change in the size of his head and I suppose I was right. He also got a couple of booster shots, which he took rather well. For those who had guessed that Lincoln is teething, you were right. The doctor peered into his mouth and pointed out that the bottom teeth are starting to erupt. It explains his sudden need to gnaw on my chin.

As Lincoln has gotten older, he has outgrown his sling and I now carry him in a Baby Bjorn. The Bjorn also affords him a view of the outside world, which he seems to enjoy. Since he is able to look out at the world, the world can now look back at him. People like to look at him and ask the usual questions, 'Boy or girl?' and 'How old is he?' Lately, I also get asked 'Ta de baba shi shei de ma?' (Who's his father?)

Here's a picture of Lincoln and Diana:



You can see that Lincoln doesn't look like a Chinese baby, despite his mother looking vaguely Chinese. I've been asked odd questions back in the U.S. but I don't think I'd get asked that question. The women who ask the baby-daddy question usually answer it themselves -- 'Yi ge waiguoren' (a foreigner) while nodding knowingly at me. The conversation usually ends with my being told I have a beautiful baby. I couldn't agree more.