NDNorth: Birthday Bash

September through December is birthday season at New Day North. Things have been so busy recently that we haven't had a chance to throw the September birthday party we had planned... or the October party... and so last week we had a celebration for all of the fall and winter birthday kiddos in our care. And there are a lot.

Evangline wasn't too happy about her crown... just keepin' it real.

Chad came upstairs to join us, although he has not yet moved into our room. By the time he is transferred into our care, in January, we won't be celebrating fall birthdays anymore, so we invited him up to party. He loved the frosting and asked for more.

Rina wasn't in our care when she celebrated her first birthday (on September 14th) but she is now and what a treat it was to celebrate her precious life.

Timothy is our little miracle boy. He struggled a lot his first year, and his first birthday on September 15th was a huge milestone. It's a Chinese tradition to put frosting on the nose/face of the birthday baby. Doesn't Timothy look precious?

The orphanage staff provided a three-tiered cake and everyone joined together singing "happy birthday" to the kids in both Chinese and English. The kids were a little overwhelmed at first, but began to warm up to the celebration idea after we had sung the song a couple of times. They all wore birthday hats. The birthday children also ate long noodles in their lunch to celebrate.

Kristiana, Evangeline and Hannah all celebrated their birthdays in October. Kristiana turned five and the little girls turned one.

Philip and Ruby are our December babies.  Phillip will be leaving us in early January to join his forever family, so we wanted to make sure he had the chance to open some of his Christmas gifts before he left. We have a late Christmas party planned for mid-January. Philip was happy to share his gifts with his friends and they all helped him to open his gifts. 

Ruby was getting an IV during our party, but we'll make sure to help her feel special.

Hannah, Luke and Emerson and Stephanie also got a chance to open one small Christmas gifts early as part of the celebration. The kids had a lot of fun and all slept deeply during their naps afterward.

Happy Birthday, sweet ones!