Happy 4th Birthday, Norah!

It is hard to believe it, but Norah is 4 years old! I barely remember labor and delivery - which is probably good, considering it was very long and then ended in a c-section anyway. She was so little - 6 pounds, 3 ounces when she was born, and only 5 pounds 8 ounces when we left the hospital. Norah surprised us by coming 2 weeks early - the first day of my spring break. Let me just say - she continues to surprise us on a regular basis.

Norah was a very good baby - rarely cried or fussed about anything. She has been a great sleeper since she was very little. She was sleeping 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. by 3 months and still sleeps 11-12 hours a night.

A few of our favorite things about Norah:

> She has an amazing imagination! She is typically a princess in some far off castle or a Sunday school teacher teaching a number of children at one time (she usually lines up her dolls and stuffed animals on the steps). Norah also enjoys being a mom, a doctor, a chef, a cheerleader, Starbucks worker, teacher, dog - the list goes on and on. I sometimes hear her talking from her room and it sounds like there are others up there with her, but it is just her, pretending and making all the characters talk.

> She loves to help bake! Several times a week she asks to bake something. We usually make muffins or bread once a week, then we make cookies or cakes if we have a good reason. She is an excellent helper and enjoys tasting our final product.

> Norah loves to help Lucy. If Lucy can't reach something, Norah is very quick to offer her assistance. If Lucy needs help doing something, Norah will show her.

> Even though Lucy can drive her crazy, Norah almost always wants her around. I had a babysitter stay with Lucy while I went to Norah's Easter party and Norah was a little sad that Lucy was missing out.

> Norah adores her friends and cousins. She talks about them all the time and she often pretends that one of them is here. She will walk with her hand sticking out like she is holding someone else's hand. She regularly pretends to have a sleepover and she has to make a spot for Kate and Savannah.

> Norah is incredibly dramatic. Although the drama can sometimes frustrate us, Norah is good at telling stories!

>Norah is also very empathetic. She can truly feel another's pain and if someone she knows is sad - she is just as sad.

> Norah's language has always been very good. She was speaking in 3 and 4 word sentences by 15 months. She loves to learn new words and find was of using them. If she hears a word that she doesn't know, she quickly asks for a meaning to begin processing it.

> She loves books! We are reading all the time! We often read the same books over and over. She has some favorites - My First Little House on the Prairie set, You are Special by Max Lucado, Polite as a Princess, Tessa the Teacher, the Tale of the Three Trees.

> She is very interested in Heaven. She asks, "Who is in Heaven?" She likes the Bible story of Jesus returning to Heaven. She asks what Heaven is like - and how we get to Heaven. She wonders if she will ride a cloud to Heaven someday.

Of course, as her mom I could go on and on, but these are a few things to give you an idea of what she is like. She has her 4 year check up at the doctor this week - I will post her measurements later in the week.

I will end with some pictures of Norah. Sorry there are so many - I had a hard time choosing!!