Nora is 3!

Oh Nora, I can't quite find the words to perfectly describe how wonderful you are.  You are a terror in the sweetest of ways and you make our hearts filled to the brim with joy.  Your personality is so clear that friends and family easily say, "oh that's so Nora!" to so many things you do from cute to sassy.  You were SO excited for your birthday this year.  I made the mistake of telling you it was coming up way to soon and so it was HIGHLY anticipated!  You really understood that you were going to get a special day with presents and all about you.  You were excited to get older yet still wanted to be a baby at the same time.

• I cannot emphasize enough how much you love babies.  I know all little girls usually do but this is well over an obsession.  You want to have your babies all the time, look at babies in the store ("Mom can we go down the baby island (aisle)", read books with babies in them (and point them out on every page), look and touch babies in real like (Cousin baby Miles is the best thing ever to you), and you will even do crafts/coloring involving babies.  It is so adorable. Those are your favorite but you also really love little people(baby is the favorite) and princesses(you call the little set the baby ones)... really any sort of little character and a house you love.
• You LOVE books.  For a kiddo who didn't love to read much before, you are SO into it now.  You will read a ton of books with us and ask to read all the time!  Guess what made you so interested in them... Babies!  In particular Baby Honey in the Berenstain Bears.  You will sit and look and read books on your own too.  You also love Little Critter books and have memorized them so you can "read" them to us.  Hearing you read "I was so mad" is one of my most favorite things ever! I am SO happy you came around to a love for reading!
• It is hard to desribe but you are SO stubborn but also so easy to teach.  You want things your way and you are very clear to tell us when you are unhappy "No Mommy, no talking" or "hey you have to ask" and "Mommy I am coming, you have to be patient" but you are also aware when you are not going to win a battle and you give in to our disicipline quite nicely (at least for now).  You really have been a pretty easy kid.
• You don't like strangers, actually they don't even have to be a stranger.  Besides your key people (Mom, Dad, Auntie DoDo, Mimi and Papa) you will be pretty shy with people and sometimes don't want to warm up to them at all.  There is NO trying to win you over they just have to back off and give you space.  You don't like to be left so that means to gym daycare, dance class, and you are flat out saying "I won't go to preschool."  For someone who is so independent at home, you just do not want to leave your family!
• You are smart as a whip!  You have such a big vocabulary which is nice since you are not a very clear speaker and hard to understand.  I can often ask you to explain it in a different way and you do so amazing explaining it somehow and then I know the word you meant, it is so cool!  You are not terribly interested in learning still but you're coming around.  You know about half of your letters, can count over 14, including with objects, colors and shapes are also no problem.  
• You've learned to play games so young since it is one of our family's favorite things to do.  You are pretty patient and understanding at a lot of games that are above your age level.  You don't really mind not winning, you just like to be involved and be with your people.  It is very sweet!
• You are so independent and capable.  You go potty on your own now, dress yourself, you want to brush your teeth and anything you feel like you should do on your own you get very upset if offered help.  
• You love snuggles and loving on people.  You randomly say "Mommy.... I love you" and it makes my heart burst.
• You wear your feelings in your face SO much!  You are so expressive in your emotions from little looks of love, shyness, sassyness and being funny.  I don't think I could even capture all your different faces!
• You  love Team UmiZoomi and Mickey Mouse clubhouse but you don't really like movies, it is still too long to sit still.  

I still don't feel like I have described your unique blend but just know that so many people look at you for happiness and love and know that with Nora, there is never a dull moment!