Happy Birthday, My First Little Girl!

Leiden is 6!

We started out the day with Special Waffles a la Brad, as usual. The girls really look forward to this tradition--who doesn't like chocolate chips and whipping cream at breakfast?



Leiden got to open her presents from Grandma right after breakfast before Brad left for work. The rest were left until after dinner, mainly because I hadn't wrapped ours and Grandmere's hadn't arrived yet. Grandma gave her cute clothes!



The cake: homemade vanilla and cherry Laffy Taffy frosting. I know some of you have wondered about the recipe for Laffy Taffy frosting, and it can be found many places, but this is the one I used (and subbed cherry for strawberry).



For dinner, Leiden requested pizza, which is also what we're having at her party on Saturday, but it's her day! As the ones for the party will be homemade, we called out tonight. Love Papa John's garlic sauce. I'd pour it over my whole slice if it wouldn't cause immediate heart attack.



Grandmere's package arrived literally just a couple minutes before dinner. I was getting ready to break the news to Leiden when it came.



Opening presents is such fun.



Grandmere sent Leiden some church dresses, as she has approximately 1 1/2 to wear. (One that fits and one that is just this side of too short.) She also sent a bug science kit and a butterfly pavilion. Such fun for the budding scientist.



Mimi loved all the paper floating around and was especially enamored with Leiden's birthday card.



We got Leiden a pogo stick, a hula hoop, Operation (remember that game?), some makeup, and one of those ankle jumpy things.


We decided to try the sparkler candles for her. She thought they were really cool, sparking and spitting.



They are also much more difficult to blow out--you think you've done it, and then they spark to life again.



Happy Birthday, sweet Leiden. We love you and are so excited that you're 6!



Mimi is also excited that someone had a birthday. That means she gets to eat cake.