Sweet Sissi is 9

How did we get from this little girl, sitting with her 2 year old brother when she was just 2 days old...

to this little girl receiving her first My Little Pony from my brother for Christmas when she was 15 months old...

to this sweet thing playing with her pretend watch when we had just arrived in Tanzania and she wasn't even 4 yet...

and then this precious girl learning how to write her name in Kindergarten...

to this girl, celebrating Easter in North Carolina when she was 6 years old?

Now, we've got a 9 year old! She requested an Empress Sissi Bundt Cake for her birthday cake, and it was amazing!

Then, we had a friend over to spend the night! Her first slumber party!

We took the girls out to a special dinner and dessert.

Then, we returned home and they played together, spent some time doing crafts, and then watched "Princess Diaries 2" for their evening movie.

And, just in case there was any doubt about whose daughter she is...this was her written out plan for her birthday day events.

Here is the reverse side of the plan.

With the family, we opened her other gifts. We were able to get her a gently used original Samantha American Girl doll from one of the teenagers at the International School here in Bishkek. Sissi used her gift money from her aunt and uncle and also her grandparents to purchase the doll.

She also came with a bag of homemade clothes!

Her big brother, Gwangi, gave her some flowers a couple of nights before her special day.

 What a guy!

Keeping with tradition, we gave her some Disney comics! We'll have to find another batch on Ebay when we're back in the US next year...I think we have just a few of them left!

Her main gift from Mom and Dad was her own Kindle! It will be awesome for her to have her own as she has transitioned to the Upper Grammar level of Tapestry of Grace this year, and is using many of the Yesterday's Classics and other books that I've purchased on Kindle for school.

If you aren't familiar with Tapestry of Grace or what Upper Grammar means, you can read about it here.

What a sweet girl she is! Next year is #10 and we'll have no more little ones anymore...such a big step for us as parents; but, we're loving this stage with the kids as well. They are so much fun to chat with, share with, travel with, and live life with. Thank you, Father, for this beautiful blessing!