Aaarrhh!

Rohan got in the spirit to wish Jason a happy 3rd birthday!

Licks = Love

Sittin like a big boy!

Rohan loves to hang out like the big people. Here he enjoys the sights and sounds of Priya & Karthik's Navaratri Golu.

First Haircut!

Rohan had his first hair cut recently and didn't fuss one bit. He just sat on daddy's lap and enjoyed his toys while daddy and the hair dresser tried to get him to look in different directions to enable the process. He still plenty of curls left so we're happy about that.

flying high

Quality time with Grammy, Pap Pap & cousins

Beautiful Baker Beach

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day in the city. Lilee was working, officially, but I decided that I missed my son and wanted to enjoy this beautiful weather with him outside. So we went to Baker beach. Lilee got a brief tour of another part of the city, and I got some great time with Rohan. Win-win situation! :)

First Bike Ride

We admit this may not be approved by the manufacturer, but actually we deem the setup very safe! The seat belts were removed and woven through the bike rack, securing Rohan in his 5-point harness to the bike and seat with one continuous connection! A bungee cord is there just to absorb any vibrations, but isn't a necessary part of the attachment. Even tipping over, Rohan can't touch the ground or be jostled much. Nevertheless, we kept away from the roads and just cruised through Golden Gate Park. Rohan seemed to enjoy the ride very much. He slept about half the time, and otherwise quietly enjoyed the breeze and fresh air.

Mmmm... Rice cereal!

Rohan has been looking VERY interested in everything the grown-ups try. Who can blame him? Look at the tasty dinner mommy is having! Sure enough, he gobbled up his rice cereal... or at least tried to! Most of it got on his chin. But he did lean in for each bite, open his mouth, and most of the time managed to swallow instead of pushing it out with his tongue. We just need a little more practice

Swinging with Lilee

Rohan is so lucky to have Lilee taking care of him. They have so much fun together (well, we know Rohan is having fun, and we have to trust that Lilee enjoys it too). Here are some pictures she took at the Douglass Park.

Thatha & Patti

Anand's grandparents (Thatha & Patti) are simply amazing. Despite their age, they continue to fill every day with energy, wit, flexibility and humor. On this most recent visit to the United States, Patti has learned for the first time in her life keyboard typing, emailing, web browsing, swimming, and playground swinging! Thatha has encouraged her every step of the way, and also gone along with good humor in all the various types of activities & meals had here. We hope to emulate them throughout our lives.
Thanks to Lilee for capturing the moment!

Varalakshmi Nombu Pooja

We had a great Varalakshmi Nombu Puja! Rohan looked smashing in his first set of Indian clothes. Now his only problem is how to look even more handsome for Diwali!

Rohan Swaminathan

A blog post in prelude to Varalakshmi Nombu Puja:

Rohan means "to ascend." Swaminathan is one of god's names. So we imagine Rohan Swaminathan will strive to be close to god. Is it just coincidence that this is how his sunscreen went on today? You decide...

Rohan:


A devout Hindu boy:

Lilee arrives!!

After much anticipation, Lilee finally arrived home on 08/07. Hard to believe it has already been one week: we have done so much, but it went by so fast! She got to meet Anand's mom and grandparents; she came with us to a party to meet all our best friends; she went on an excursion around San Francisco with Laura & Rohan. Oh, and of course she has gotten to know everything about Mr. Rohan, and he LOVES her. Welcome, Lilee!!

Happy Belated Anniversary

Anand's grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and we celebrated our 09th wedding anniversary. We feel so lucky! Thanks, as always, to Anand's mom for hosting!

Rohan update

Rohan had his 4-month pediatric appointment on Thursday. He weighed 15.8 lbs, with one dry cotton diaper on. Almost double his birth weight! His height & weight continue to be in the 75th percentile, and his head circumference is still in the 90th percentile. He now can reliably roll over from back to front, which he demonstrated 5 consecutive times to his daddy yesterday! He gives a hearty laugh when being tickled, tossed, or inverted. He enjoys being naked, and especially likes using naked time to explore his increased flexibility (the cotton diaper is a bit bulky) and examine his feet. He is mastering the reach/grab skill enough to make mommy & daddy more cautious with having him on our laps at meal times. The doctor says we could introduce solid foods any time, though there is no rush. Guess we need to make room for more baby stuff in the kitchen! :)

Rohan also finally decided that we are not being mean when offering a bottle of breast milk - it dawned on him that the food actually comes FASTER out of the bottle, and so he eagerly opens his mouth and leans forward to enjoy this instant gratification! But the most important and relieving milestone to date has been that Rohan now sleeps in his very own room. Rohan had recently started waking every 45 minutes to nurse, and had become a very light sleeper. He just wasn't sleeping well next to mommy anymore (hence, mommy wasn't sleeping so well either). With minimal fussing, he actually seemed grateful for the peace & quiet of his own crib, and now sleeps there from 8 PM - 7 AM (with 2 night-feedings at midnight & 4 AM). Mommy and daddy say "yay!"

We feel like the foundation is set to welcome Lilee into our home on Thursday. Lilee left her home town in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil today, and will arrive in beautiful Newark, NJ tomorrow morning. She has 3 days of training with Au Pair Care before arriving in San Francisco at 8 PM on Thursday night. Laura is grateful to have a few weeks left of maternity leave to spend orienting Lilee and helping transition part of Rohan's care to her capable hands.

Keep the good times rollin'

I still can't get over what an amazing time we had at the family reunion. OK, I confess that my memories of Ohio are somewhat jaded by teenage angst and college stress. And after leaving the nest, we primarily visited during busy events (like weddings) or miserably cold times (like infamous Christmas '04), which didn't help matters. But this was the most refreshing trip home in a long time. Astonishing to have 40 people visiting a rural home for a week, and no one got bored! There were games (ladder golf, corn hole, wiffle ball, football, kickball, Nintendo Wii, poker, gin rummy), lightning bug catching, bubble blowing, fish-pond amusements, horseback riding, indoor rock-climbing, and bi-plane aerobatic demonstrations & rides! And that was just at my parents place... Some of us also enjoyed excursions to Cedar Point amusement park, Cherry Valley Lodge water park, Columbus Zoo, Amish country, local bike trails, dairy farms, pig farms, Magic Mountain mini golf, go karts & arcade, and more. Enjoy the pictures!
Picassa Album - Lester Family Reunion 2008

Family Reunion

Everyone except Jeff Presto... we missed you, Jeff!

Siblings gave these chairs to my parents for hosting. Thanks, everyone!

4 Generations

All Hail Cedar Point

Nothing like a mid-day hail storm at the park to keep things interesting. Luckily, Rohan was well protected even before the storm hit, and wisely chose to take a nap at this time.

Ohio Fun

Rohan had a blast at the family reunion:
...taming a lion at Columbus Zoo -

...guarding the strollers at Cedar Point while his cousins rode rides-

...helping daddy steer the horse -

...playing with his 2nd cousin, Everett!


Thanks to all the family for making it such a great week!