Elijah Franklin

 

Elijah is my final child post from our trip. I already covered baby Bronwyn when I started these. It feels like so much time has passed already, it's taken me quite a while to complete everyone. Eli is quite the little charmer, and both his Papa and Grammie were taken with him. For one thing, he's adorable with his blond hair and big blue eyes. He doesn't say much, but you do know what he wants!

On our rather long driving trip to Williamsburg, this was one way Elijah kept himself entertained.

 

When we were doing our singing around the piano, he joined right in.

 He isn't old enough to know that he can't play the piano, so he just played right along with me. What a fun time, with him cuddled on the bench with me, playing right along with Puff the Magic Dragon, and Millie and others singing on the other side. Usually toddlers like to pound the piano, but Eli just quietly played....I think we have a budding musician in our midst.

 

As we were driving to Williamsburg, we stopped one day for a cupcake break. Eli was right in the middle of that, and they were just at his level.

 Only the crumbs remain to tell the story......

Until his Papa got hold of him to help wipe away those crumbs!

 

 I didn't get too many photos of Elijah...as he was in some one's arms or the stroller most of the trip. It helped to keep him contained for his own safety. Although he really is such a good boy, and takes pretty good care of himself. Here being in the safety of his Daddy's arms, he's free to interact with one of the sailors on board a ship at Jamestown.

 

At Amelia's birthday breakfast, Elijah appreciated the special fare. He is still sitting in the high chair at meals, but his food is generally on the table, so he uses the high chair just to get him high enough to reach it.

 We are in the maze here, and Elijah wants to forge his own path, so Grammie keeps an eye on him. He didn't really understand the 'maze part', but it was a pretty cool jungle for him.

 Elijah likes to give good night kisses...

so sweet, too bad that phase doesn't last long enough!

 

 Here's Elijah playing with some Revolutionary war metal soldiers. He really liked that part.

 

And Elijah got his turn at trying out the big feather bed mattress, although it didn't make him want to take a nap.

 

 Elijah was the perfect age for doing our family rhyme 'Ida Peek, Peek-a-Roo, Rooey Whistle, Mary Hostle, and Old Tumblybundle.' (Done with the toes as in This Little Pig)

 He never tired of it, and we got to hold him a little longer because of it.

 

We truly delighted in getting to know Elijah, and marveled at the Little Man he is. That was my nickname for him, 'Little Man'. He is fairly sober, and you can just see the wheels going round, as he has some really good reasoning skills developed. He also seems very athletic with good physical abilities which pleased his Papa. He will play for hours by himself, just puttering around the house outside, or putting together puzzles. Even after having eight children, it's amazing how unique, special and different each one is. I hope you know them each a little better now too.