Photo update

Elijah has changed over the past few months. I feel like he is a totally different baby today than he was at five months. He used to be this laid back chill baby that would sit quietly in your lap for hours. Suddenly, he exploded into a little onion with hundreds of layers. He has needs and desires beyond being hungry and tired. He actually communicates with us and we understand him (we are teaching him baby sign language and are really excited now that he is waving and clapping! soon, he'll be able to sign to me that he wants to nurse instead of pulling on my shirt and digging his head into my chest!). Elijah seems so complex to me now and I am loving it. As Dan always says, kids are like concentrated packets of people!

Our happy clapping Eli

Dan and Eli enjoy looking out the window together. Don't they look so much alike???

Elijah is very curious. I've started sweeping under the rug, because it's Eli's new favorite place to play.
My mom and dad joke about Eli being a football player because he has no neck. Well mom and dad, here you go! Our little football player! Of course, if he does play football, it would never be for the Huskies! It would be for Notre Dame, the Titans, or University of Michigan!!!!!!

Playing with his new stacking cars

Eli's new "chew toy". He LOVES this one. Thanks Grandmarmie!

Elijah has just recently become fascinated with books. He turns the pages and grabs at each picture. He loves this particular book from Grandpa Robbins because it has little cut outs and textures for him to feel.


After he is done reading, Eli spends some time wrestling with the book.


We had a wonderful time with Dan's dad, Tom. It was fun to see him playing with Elijah and taking joy in our boy. We took him to Dedza pottery lodge and Lake Malawi. We took him shopping in the market and he got to worship with us at our church. It was great to have him see our little life here in Lilongwe. He left yesterday afternoon and is still in the air, so please pray for him as he travels back home and heads back to work.

Tom brought all sorts of goodies with him from Dan's side and my side of the family. We had a great time going through the suitcase and making a mess of our living room.

Eli waving at grandpa Robbins.

Tom totally beat Dan and I at Monopoly, but then I beat the boys when we played later in the week!

Eli at the beach

Dan and Tom swimming in the lake.