All About Elijah

ELIJAH MATTHEW ZIMEL - 3 YEARS, 8 MONTHS

"Don't smile Elijah...don't you smile!!!"
Part of this is just an excuse to take pictures and play around with my new camera, but also, I think it's time for an "all about ___" update, and since I did a write up on Samuel, I'll follow with the other two.

Elijah just finished up a sports class at the community center. He's going to start swimming lessons sometime soon here. Some of our good friends here, the Norrises, happen to have a background in swimming. Morgan has graciously agreed to do some private lessons for us, and we can't wait. Elijah is so excited to start swimming, and in his own words, "they [the Norrises] love me so much."

Something in me doesn't feel the need to rush Elijah off to school just because it's the thing to do with kids this age. For now he is really happy with playgroups and library storytimes and occasional community classes here and there. And lots of reading books, playing with playdough, tracing letters, building with legos and blocks, mixing and baking, playing games, doing puzzles, and helping me with whatever I'm doing at home...and that's learning! Plus, it affords us lots of time together and a flexibility that is priceless. I've learned to savor that, because as I've learned through Samuel, someday that will be gone!

Elijah loves jumping on the trampoline and playing with Samuel and Isaac. The three of them have developed a ritual of jumping together for 10 or 20 minutes first thing after Samuel gets home. Elijah also likes to play by himself sometimes in his bedroom. He is our silly kid, our internal processor; one who mostly has a joyful spirit and a thankful heart. He knows his letters and loves to practice writing them. He doesn't watch any TV, but he loves watching a movie now and then. His favorites right now are Clifford the Big Red Dog, Pink Panther, and Air Bud. He also loves doing artwork, riding his scooter, shooting hoops outside (especially if Samuel and his friends happen to be out there!), and driving around in his John Deere tractor.

I took this picture a few days ago shortly after Elijah woke up. I told him that I was still spending time with God, so he quickly disappeared and then joined me with his own Bible and "special drink" so that he could spend time with God too. Sweet boy. One of his most frequent sayings to me lately has been, "Mom, you look like a beautiful princess." He tells me this several times a day, and often urges me to "please keep yourself a beautiful princess." I'm not really sure what that means, but he sure knows how to melt his mommy's heart.