Adalyn turns 5!

My sweet and sassy baby girl turned 5 years old on August 31^st and we celebrated with friends at a party a month ago.  Adalyn is quite the social butterfly and her friends are very important to her so we had to have a big party including all her friends.  Eleni is Adalyn’s best friend and since they were born only 14 days apart, we decided to have their birthday party together this year.  

Adalyn wanted a mermaid party and Eleni wanted Frozen, so we decided on a costume party so all the kids could come in their favorite characters.

Love the jelly fish hanging above the table

Great attention to details like having the candy in the sea shells

I loved seeing all the kids in their costumes running around Graceland Fun Farm where we had the party.  30 kids plus their parents joined us and hopefully enjoyed the food and festivities.  Graceland did all the decorating, food preparations, set up and clean up.  

They had a cow train for the kids to ride, tons of playground areas to play on, sand pits, and we hired a face painter for the day. 

Watching Adalyn interact with her friends, playing make believe, and just enjoying the birthday party with a huge smile on her face was the best feeling.  I am so thankful to have made some amazing friends during our time here in Africa.

 

I thought the cake I made for her birthday party turned out quite well, thankfully I only have to make birthday cakes twice per year as they are a lot of work. 

Over the past year it has been fun and heartwarming yet challenging watching Adalyn grow and show us more of her personality.  She loves to put on make-up, dress up in my shoes and jewelry, pick out everyone’s clothes for the day, and anything else that is girly.  She is particular about her hair and what clothes she wants to wear.  

She loves all crafts, Barbies, playing with tiny dolls like Polly Pockets, playing games and watching tv.  She has a wild imagination and I often find her creating some elaborate story with her toys and non-toys such as toothbrushes and shampoo bottles, though she is quick to become quiet when I walk in the room. 

Adalyn can be quite bossy, especially with Grant, trying to “mother” him, giving him kisses and hugs though they are not always wanted by Grant.  She loves to teach him new things and we will see if he uses the same South African words and phrases that she does.  Her little accent is quite cute and I hope she does not lose it, but probably will.

In school Adalyn loves to play with her friends, craft time and all the special activities such as music, drama, modern dance, ballet, tennis and outside of school she does swimming.  I am always amazed at what she is learning and loves to "teach" Mark and I what she learned.  She has a wonderful teacher and has made some terrific friends so we spend quite a few weekends attending birthday parties. 

In 2015, Adalyn has been to 4 countries on 3 continents so far with 2 more countries to go this year.  She has been on one safari to Kruger this year, climbed in the Drakensburg Mountains and touched about every animal possible.  

She would not have had this childhood in America, but the downfall is she is far from family.  We consider our friends our family here and Adalyn has a special connection to Joyce our housekeeper and Obit our gardener.  It is great to watch her “help” them around the house and they are so sweet to let her tag along.  From 4 years to 5 years old she has grown so much and we are blessed to have her as our daughter.