31 May Bundles of Joy: Growing and Strengthening
We’re doing a lot of reflecting this month, with some children receiving exam results, some progressing well in college, and others growing and learning first words! We wanted to take a moment to reflect in particular on our bundles of joy in Kikuyu.
Late last year, you may have read our feature introducing our bundles of joy; our 6 youngest children at our Kikuyu home. We wanted to share an update on Elaine, Joshua, Jesse, Natasha, Zawadi, and Jonathan!
Bundles of Joy in the Milele House
We had the pleasure of Aunt Elizabeth providing a lovely update on Elaine, Jesse and Joshua…
Beginning with Baby Elaine
Elaine has hit all the developmental milestones; she has developed the language skills very well in that she communicates using simple sentences and gestures. She loves sharing with others! She has a sweet personality and she is so empathetic especially with Joshua, who is the youngest in the house.
Baby Elaine loves bright colored clothes; she is full of fun and very confident in herself. She doesn’t like being in the background whenever activities are happening; instead, she likes leading from the front. We’re sure she will make a great leader someday! She is quite noisy and very bubbly whenever she plays. She makes friends easily, she is not shy at all!
We’re excited to see baby Elaine flourish.
Seeing What Jesse Is Up To
Jesse is like a small dynamite! He is full of energy; one minute you will see him in one corner and the next one in another one. He enjoys kicking the soccer ball and running after the basketball. His favorite time is when we have the day-break walks around the farm. He enjoys chasing after the grasshoppers and small insects. He gets so thrilled when he catches one in his hands.
Jesse is so quick to get angry and cries at the slightest provocation! Though he enjoys toys, he struggles with the idea of sharing and we are teaching him that. We think he will be a brilliant athlete when he grows up as he is so energetic and has a wonderful competitive spirit!
Finding Out How Joshua Is Progressing
Being the youngest in the house has given him all the bragging rights of a ‘last born’. He is one with lots of energy, just like Jesse. Joshua is at the critical learning stage where he imitates everything new he sees. We have to model the best we can as a house so that he does not pick up negative traits from all of us.
Joshua is a big fan of cars and heavy machines; he loves playing with toy versions! He has a great appetite and is growing so fast. He has learned how to get along with the other children including those from Amani House. His love for play is so intense that when he wakes up, he runs straight to his toys and plays as if he had been awake all day long! It’s a blessing to see.
Amani House Bundles of Joy
At our Amani house in Kikuyu, we spoke with Aunt Anne to hear how Natasha, Zawadi and Jonathan are getting on…
Discovering Natasha’s Favorite Things
Natasha is such a lovely girl who loves pretty dresses, shoes, bags, and toys. She is so picky and only accepts whatever interests her. She has warmed up so much lately; we have seen a lot of creativity and great social skills develop over the last 6 months. She now plays well with others and is always looking out for the best in her peers. Previously she was timid and always played alone. Her language has developed greatly and can hold a conversation with an adult or even older children very well. She is a natural leader and is the one who leads the 2 others on anything.
We’re excited to see her accomplish great things!
Finding Out What Zawadi Is Curious About
Zawadi is a lively girl who likes laughing and giggling. She is also very curious and creative during playtime. We are grateful for the developmental strides Zawadi has made! She was a bit delayed learning to crawl and walk but she has made a full turn-around, hitting all other milestones. She can talk with simple words and phrases and has a great appetite. She likes playing on the swings and slides and being outdoors. She especially enjoys spending time with baby Elaine and they are so sweet together.
A Little Update On Jonathan
He is fondly known as Jonah! He is a very brilliant boy whose love for cars and mechanical things is immeasurable. Whenever he is upset, we always take him to the vehicles parked at the home. This calms him almost immediately as he plays with them. Jonathan is a very sensitive boy, always quiet and organized. His toys look clean and he holds them fondly when not playing. He has hit all the growth milestones which we are so proud of. We are teaching the virtue of sharing since he doesn’t like sharing at all! Our bundles of joy are quickly growing into strong, independent children with personalities and likes and dislikes! It’s a blessing to be able to watch and help them grow, learn, and love, as well as watching our older children flourish by helping and guiding the little ones. We couldn’t do what we do and provide the love, care, and resources we do without you. To support our children thrive in a safe and loving environment, take a look at our donation page for ways to give.