Leah's Birthday

Our little Leah is not so little any more. She turned 5 years old this month and according to her had "the best birthday ever". 

To begin her special day, we woke her up early to open gifts.

Leah loves to help in the kitchen and has been asking for an apron and "kitchen glove" so she can help more. She was so excited her wish came true.

 She's absolutely adorable in her new chef's attire.

Later that day, we celebrated with a swimming-BBQ-piñata party. Although many friends were away on summer vacations, Leah's BFF was here and that's all that mattered. 

They had a great time swimming and playing together. Afterwards we barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers (a first for us since being in Asia). It was a real treat!

We also had Leah's favorite cupcakes - chocolate with white frosting and sprinkles.

A few months ago we made piñatas for a homeschool project. Ian and Leah agreed their piñata (a hot air balloon with a doll in the basket) would be used for Leah's birthday.

They did a great job and the piñata turned out to be a pretty tough one to break.

The stick broke before the piñata.

Finally the piñata broke open and the candies and prizes littered the ground. All the kids gathered handfuls of loot.

Leah had a fantastic birthday party and loved turning 5.

Leah has an adventurous personality, a taste for exotic foods, a contagious laugh, a well developed vocabulary, an active imagination, an insightful perspective, and a smile that melts your heart. Sometimes it's hard to believe she's only 5; she's growing up so fast. Leah is amazing and we love her more than we can ever express. We're so glad she's a part of our family.

Happy Birthday Leah!