Norah--3 years old

Oh, this girl.  She is both a delightful and tyrannical little three year old with eyes that both twinkle and rage.  She's got opinions about who buckles/unbuckles her, where she sits, who prays at meal time, who does or doesn't seem to be listening to her right this very second, etc.  She's also got a great laugh, big hugs to share and creative and imaginative personality. We love her!

Things about 3-year-old Norah:
• She plays dead by closing her eyes and sticking out her tongue.  She thinks it's hilarious.
• For every picture we have of her beautiful smile, we have about a hundred of her pulling silly faces.
• She does not want to be left behind.  She panics nearly any time someone opens the door saying "Don't leave without me!"
• She's determined that wearing underwear entitles her to all the privileges that "big kids" get.
• She loves electric hand dryers and gets the biggest grin on her face anytime she uses them.
• She finally learned to speak clearly enough for Alexa to understand her some of the time.
• She sings all the time.  Her wide repertoire includes such songs as A Million Dreams (The Greatest Showman); Cowboy, Take Me Away (Dixie Chicks); Man or Muppet (The Muppet Movie); Old MacDonald (Sesame Street), The Judge (21 Pilots), The Miracle (Primary), to name a few.  One of the best things ever is to hear her sing "like a boy."
• Her favorite show is Umizoomi.
• Her best friends are her cousin, Lola, and her friend, Elaine, who lives just down the street.
• She's loves to play games and is pretty good at Old Maid, Uno, Koala Capers and Go Fish.
• Everyone is "her" when it comes to pronouns. As in: "Her is playing in the toilet" (Graham).
• She loves to look through our chatbooks and point out places she wants to go again.



We got to celebrate Norah's birthday in Utah this year. We gathered with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents at a cool new playground/splash pad in Vineyard.  We ate pizza and cake and all the kids played.  Norah's donut cake turned out quite cute.  Everyday for weeks she told me about twenty different birthday cakes she wanted to have.  Luckily, two days before her birthday we landed on a donut cake and it stuck.  It was much easier to make than some of her other requests. :)  She got some dress ups (Elsa, Ana and some animal masks) and a bubble machine for her birthday and seemed to be pretty thrilled about the whole day.

 With cousins Lola and Lottie.

 Pulling faces at Temple Square.

 Three-year-old tantrums.

 Three-year-old joy.

That smile. :)