Last Cruise

Lillian takes one last cruise through the airport before seeing Grandpa Charles off to the gate.

Saying Good-Bye

Three generations together at the Boise airport as Grandpa Charles says good-bye to Lilli Bean.

HerPod

Lillian rockin' out to her 'MyPod' toy in the back of the VW van.

Grandpa Charles plays with Bean.

Lillian plays with Grandpa Charles.

Bean doing her best Marilyn Monroe impression.

Lunch Time

Bean, mom, Grandpa Charles, and a wounded Carolyn gather for some lunch.

Hottie Springs

Lillian and mom go deep in the hot springs.

Shallow End

Under mom's guidance, Lillian plays in the shallow end of the commercial (yet rustic) Givens Hot Springs.

Big Eyes

Bean chillin' in the VW Campervan.

Rompin'

Bean romps through the park near a hot springs just south of the Snake River.

StairMaster

The kid LOVES going up and down stairs, particularly all the ones at the Boise B&B.

Mmmm Good!

Bean, chowin' down!

First 'Do!

The Bean, sporting her first hairdo, courtesy of Tami and Pandora.

Family Time

Lillian settles in for lunch with mom, Carolyn, and Grandpa Charles.

Settling In

Lillian in the sunroom of the Boise B&B, helping Grandpa Charles and Carolyn settle in for their visit.

The Lady in Black

Lillian in her suave black, fur-lined coat, watches some Korean dancers on the mean streets of Boise.

Bean as Teletubby

The Christmas Bean

Pandora and Lillian get an early start on Christmas, opening the day before some Dora the Explorer furniture from Lilli Bean's mom. They took an immediate liking to it, sitting back and kicking their feet up. 

Pandora and Lilli Bean chillin' on the new furniture. 

Early morning shot of the tree with presents beneath. Lillian slept to her usual 8:30 am or so, allowing her parents perhaps one last Christmas morning where they were awake before she was. 

Lillian makes good use of her new play tent, using it to hide from her folks as she chews on a book. 

Mom helps Lillian open a present from Grandpa Charles. 

A bleary-eyed Lilli Bean wakes up from a Christmas afternoon nap. 

Mom and Bean inside the play tent, reading a pop up book. 

It turns out that the hit of the day was a $2 cat toy, which Bean used to play with her birthday present, Marzipan the Cat. She was howling with laughter as she played with Marz like this, probably getting a good hour's worth of fun out of it.

Continuing the time-honored tradition of NOT playing with her actual toys, Bean has a grand time playing in a box. 

We finally absolutely HAD to get out of the house, so hopped into the Campervan to drive around. It turned out a Chinese Buffet was open so we stopped for a traditional Christmas dinner, although I couldn't find any duck with the head still on it like in 'A Christmas Story'. Bean found the Lo Mein though, which she apparently LOVES, often double-fisting it into her mouth. Like dad though, she may have eaten too much and gotten a belly ache later as she was pretty fussy during bedtime.

Bean's Birthday Bash!

Friends from near and far (like Nampa) gathered to celebrate Lillian 'Lilli Bean' Chesak's turning the Big Oh-One. 

There were friends, toys,... 

... the now famous 'Upsidedown Baby',...

...and the root beer was totally awesome man. 

After singing 'Happy Birthday', a hush came over the crowd. The candle was plucked away and the frosting 'fest began!

Before... 

...and after. 

After several handfulls (of mostly frosting and little cake), the sugar buzz kicked in!

Dad got 'assigned' clean up (thank you Sally), and quickly took off his shirt before removing the frosted Bean from her chair.

She went right in the tub, clothes and all.

After the clean up, it was time for presents.

Lillian's dad with Bean's birthday present from her parents: a Costco-sized box of Goldfish, which she totally loves.

Lillian's actual birthday present: Marzipan the Cat, and one-year old (?) rescue from The Humane Society. Just by chance (really), Marz looks eerily like the long-lost Zues cat.

The day after the party, Pandora and Bean played with a present from Kari, Edin, and Adrianna.

A Day Out

Lillian and her friend Pandora, bundled up (and pacifiered up) for the weather.

Meet The Amazing Lilli Bean!

She dresses in cool outfits for daddy's homecoming! 

She naps on mom! 

She wears cool hats while swinging! 

She plays with baskets! 

She rolls on the floor! 

She takes baths! 

She naps with dad! 

She plays with the doggie door! 

She chows down on Thanksgiving (her first by the way)! 

She plays in overturned furniture! 

And she giggles - a lot! She's The Amazing Lilli Bean and she does it all!

It's Hallow-Bean!

Lillian's first Halloween, dressed up as Babe, with her mama (aka Daisy Duke).

At almost 10 months old, Lillian gets her first try of Indian food. She had palak paneer, basmati rice, vegetarian somosa and garlic naan. Yummy! (And for the record, Lillian has already eaten Mexican, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Thai food.) 

Lillian loves this Pooh car. She pushes or rides it around the house, stopping every now and then to get off the car, make it play music, and shake her butt to the beat. 

Peek-a-Boo! 

I bet I can play this thing with my nose. 

Hey, that sound was funny! Do it again! 

Lillian and her buddy, Pandora, play a duet on the piano. 

Huh? Me? I didn't do anything, I swear. 

I LOVE my Exersaucer! 

Hey, look at me! I can crawl! 

Mmmmm....mashed yellow stuff in a jar. Mmmmmm.... 

Lillian at daycare, enjoying...sweet potatos? Food finger painting? 

Lillian, Meet your Daddy

Chris' latest article for the Idaho Statesman is about meeting Lillian and learning what this fatherhood thing is all about. To read it, go to: http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050517/NEWS01/505170317&SearchID=73208730139081 (or just go to www.idahostatesman.com and search 'chesak').

Dad, home on leave, gives 'Lilli Bean' a smooch, his first ever, just after getting off the plane(s) from Iraq.  

Dad's first feeding (of pumped breast milk) during a cookout. 

First family meal. 

Dad's first diaper change. 

Mmm... books are tasty! 

Aw! 

Lillian in repose... and contemplating a hostile takeover of the entire planet. 

Wesleyan buddy Jason DeGeorge flies in from a business trip to Seattle to get some Lilli lovin'. 

Toes, I love to eat my toes! 

Family resemblance? What family resemblance? 

Sally and Lilli relax on the swing on our backyard patio. 

Sally mowing the lawn with our reel mower, Lillian observes (so she can start mowing soon for us). 

First family photo ever! Taken at the Boise airport on 28 April, just moments after Chris met Lillian for the first time. Note the 'super daddy' sticker that Chris is wearing. Lilli sent it to him in Iraq on his birthday.  

In a rented RV on a trip to Portland, Lillian enjoyed a rest stop on the over-cab bed. She loved sitting up here and being eye level with Mom and me. 

Late March, Lillian practicing her sitting up skills 

Lillian with her Grandpa Chesak, early March 

Two months old, looking sporty in her purple shades. 

Lillian likes to be where the action is, so she now sits in her highchair and watches us eat dinner every night. 

Lillian had her two-month check-up yesterday, and the doctor said she is perfect! She's grown a lot, and is now 23 3/4" long and weighs 11 pounds. She's in great health, has no problems, and was smiling throughout the appointment - until they stuck the needles in her legs for her immunization shots.

Lillian at seven weeks old - she's perfecting her smile! 

Here is Lillian at five weeks old, showing off her fancy sweater. 

Chris' article in Idaho Statesman

On Tuesday, January 11, the Idaho Statesman published an article written by Chris about Lillian's birth from his perspective, with a photo of Sally and Lillian and another one of just Lillian. Hopefully this link will work for awhile and you can access the article. The article is called "Half a world away, a soldier listens to his first-born's birth." http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050111/NEWS01/501110330/1002

Lillian at two weeks old, with spiky, post-bath hair. 

Lillian's first bath, at one week old. She's gripping the pacifier that she plucked from her mouth.  

Sporting an outfit Daddy picked out. 

Can I get some clothes, please?? 

Lillian's post-feeding euphoria 

Lillian at one week old posing for pictures that will be sent to Daddy. 

Welcome to Lillian Rose!

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Lillian Rose Chesak into the Grimes/Chesak family! Lillian made her grand appearance on Thursday, December 16 at 9:30am. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and measured 21.5 inches long.

During the first part of the labor, we got a message to Chris (in Kuwait) to let him know that she was on the way. Fortunately, even though he was scheduled to be en route to northern Iraq at the same time she was being born, he was able to get on the phone during one 'layover' of his trip, during which time he listened to the last 15-20 minutes of pushing and Lillian's first cries.

Lillian Rose Chesak, a few hours old

Lillian and her mama, warming up after Lillian's bath.

Lillian and Sally, within an hour of Lillian's delivery 

Lillian getting her first bath, which she was not very happy about.