A Healthy Baby

In my child development classes that I (Allison) took in school, I remember learning that a healthy 14/15 month old is one who is into everything. Well, it's seems we have a healthy little girl. Here's a little video of the result of Lilian's fun in the bathroom.

Cardboard Christmas 1

We tried to load this video yesterday, but had some trouble.  Here is the first half of the video.  

Cardboard Christmas

Since we are only in Costa Rica for a year and we can't really take any extra stuff with us to Argentina, we wanted to get Lilian some "disposable" presents. So, we decided to make a present out of a cardboard box. Maybe this makes us green (or maybe just cheap), nonetheless, we made a cardboard kitchen for her to play with. After telling Allison's mom about what we planned to do, she was really nervous. So, hopefully this video will put her anxiety at ease!

 

Funny Chick

Punta Leona

Monday we had our first view of Costa Rica outside of San Jose.  We went to Punta Leona (Lion Point) a beach about two hours southwest from San Jose.  We weren't really sure if Lilian would like the beach or not.  We went this past summer and she was afraid of the water.  She loved the water.  She ran in and out of the water.  By the end of the trip she was sitting in the surf sorting through the rocks in my hand.  

The place had a great kiddy pool.  Lilian really enjoyed it.  There was a slope in the pool that went into the water.  Lilian ran up and down that thing.  It was inevitable that she would eventually fall.  When she did her chin caught her.  You can see the mark on her chin below, but she was still all smiles.  

The area was beautiful.  It was a tropical climate with all kinds of animals and plants.  The people at the beach said this tree was four hundred years old.  It was pretty cool.  

Here is a picture of Lilian in the kiddy pool.  It is probably the best kiddy pool I have ever seen.

The first time at the beach Lilian got sand all over her.  This picture was taken after we wiped most of it off.  

It was a great trip and a great place for kids.  If you want the full story of the trip, you will have to check the Rayburn Mensaje.  

More pictures of Lilian

Here is a pic of Lilian and Hannah chilling after some play time

There is a park on every corner.  Lilian loves to go to them and hates to leave.

My smart girl has learned what opens the door.  When she wants to go outside she asks for the keys and goes to the door.  

Hannah loves Lilian.  She always hugs her and follows it with a body slam.  Allison caught Lilian this time.

Settling in

Lilian is adjusting just fine to life here in Costa Rica. Although we are still in Central time zone, we've had to adjust our daily schedule just a bit. Life here starts when the sun rises...which means Lilian's new wake up time is somewhere between 5 and 6 am. Check out this video, and see what I mean...

It is a common practice for people to pay mariachi bands to play songs outside of people's homes for their birthdays. This could happen at anytime during the night--1 am, 2 am, 5:30 am--whenever. What wife would not be appreciative to know that her husband loves her enough to wake her in the middle of the night with sweet sounds of Costa Rica?

Lilian is really enjoying having a playmate around all of the time. Hannah is 18 months old and is a great little hostess. She loves to give hugs and is even really good with sharing her toys. She's also really easy to talk to; Lilian loves having heart-to-hearts with her. I don't even want to know what she's told Hannah about all of us. 

  

Lilian has also become Miss Social Butterfly. At our IMB Christmas get-together at the language school, Lilian had a great time running through all of the kids. She got to meet a lot of knew friends and was so excited to see old friends that we met in Orientation. 

So. things are going well. We are all really excited to get in a place of our own next week. We hope by the 12th to be showing you pictures from our place!

Christening of our new home...

So, Lilian (and Allison) is so glad to finally be here. In fact, Lilian was so excited on the way here that she peed on herself (and Allison) on the connecting flight to Atlanta AND the flight to San Jose. Then, when we got to the family's house where we are staying, she was so happy to be staying with little 18-month old Hannah that she wet all over herself and daddy's bed. Then, this morning as our hosts showed us around the town, she peed on herself again. Then, right before her nap, for her diaper change, she decided to christen my bed (along with my clothes, her clothes, and a suitcase). It's been about 4 hours since the last accident (which is longer than she has gone since we left). Although she is still really excited, maybe she has gotten her bladder under control!

Christmas

We leave Dec. 1, which puts us in Costa Rica for Christmas.  The grandparents felt that Lilian needed a proper Christmas so here it is.  The picture is of Lilian and her cousins.  Your seeing the picture correctly.  Lilian is about to be introduced to the floor.  That girl looks like a boxer.  She has about three bruises on her face at all times.  She is always falling and runing into things.

Lilian had a great time and it was good to have all the family together.  Now that we have had Christmas we will be spending Dec. 25th on a beach in Costa Rica.  

Great grand parents

We just got back from visiting Lilian's great grand parents.  Her great grandma had a stroke, but is doing much better.  Please pray for her recovery.  I think Lilian won the staring contest.  

She had a fun time in the hospital room.

Her great grandpa made her laugh so hard.  

Random Lilian Picks

Lilian who's gonna win the game?

Lilian is a diaper dandy.  

True football fan braving the cold.

She cracks up when I rub my head on her belly.

She really liked the LSU band as you can see.

When she gets tired she lies down wherever she is.  This is where the dog sleeps.

Lilian's Party

Here are some pictures of Lilian's birthday party.

She got a baby and a little stroller.  She loves pushing it around and taking the baby in and out 

The cake tasted really good, but they spelled her name wrong.  One 'L'

She was fairly dainty with the cake.  The pictures makes it look worse than it was.

She is showing the tiger some love after being jacked up on sugar.  

Fall fest

Lilian's maw maw made her these little scrubs.  

Happy Birthday!!

Today Lilian turned one year old.  She has been so much fun especially the past couple of months.  It made me think back on how much change has occurred in her year of life.  She has been to 8 states.  By the end of the year she will have lived in two countries, five cities and seven different houses.  What a wild ride, but it has been great.  Things that I miss the most from the first year: swaddling her at night, waking her up in the morning (opposed to her waking us up in the morning), and kicking her legs like she was swimming.  One thing that remains is she was born sucking her bottom lip and she still does it when she is tired.  I'm excited about the next year, but hope that it doesn't go as fast.

 Below are some pics of her growth.  

1 week

2-3 week

1 month

2 month

3 month

4 month

5 month

6 month

7 month

8 month

9 month

10 month

11 month

Major Discovery

Lilian finally discovered something that I have been trying to call her attention to for months. Hope you enjoy.

LSU Basketball

We went to LSU's campus to meet some friends and while we were there we decided to take some pictures of Lilian.  We will put those up soon, but this could not wait.  Garret Temple an LSU basketball player was sitting outside of one of the buildings.  We asked if we could take a picture with him and he was more than happy to take one.  I have heard that he was an outstanding guy and after talking with him for a minute, I would agree.  Temple, is the best defender in the NCAA and a great leader.  He is a 6'6" guard.  Allison is standing on a step in the picture.  Geaux Tiger Basketball!!