Nora: 3 year letter

Nora Cadence,

My sweet big girl! I feel like you have suddenly grown up overnight and I hardly recognize this little person you are becoming. When did you stop being my little baby?

You are such a fun person to be around. You are so full of life and personality and I love the things that make you so uniquely you.

You love to play, and play, and play. You spend hours and hours in your own imaginary little world. You love to play with your little princesses and little dollhouse people, but you also play with lots of other things: Aidan's castle men, pirate figures, animals, food etc... You love to play that your food is talking...especially things like cookies and grapes, but I've even caught you having conversations with two pieces of grated cheese. Your imagination is endless! You still very much like to play on your belly, but your new spot for playing is the kitchen table. You line everything up and sit there for hours. You also love playing with Aidan and you both have started really relating well in the past couple of months.

You are a free spirit. You don't mind your hair being wild and in your face. You love to pick out your clothes. You take off your clothes at all hours of the day and walk around in just your undies. You make messes. You laugh with your head flung back. You sing at the top of your lungs.

One thing that I especially see in you is a love for music. You catch on to songs quickly and have started singing along to Audrey Assad (your current favorite music!). You say, "Oh, that's my song!" or request different songs to listen to and immediately belt it out when you know the words. You are not a quiet singer, but you stay pretty well in tune and sing loudly and confidently. It makes us all stop and listen to you.

You don't really care to learn things from me. You have no interest in learning your letters or doing any type of formal "school." You do tell me you want to go to school, but you don't want me to teach you anything right now. I think I was a lot like that when I was a little girl too.

You are still very affectionate and sweet. You love to be held, to cuddle and to hold your fleecy blankets. You suck on your tongue as a comfort measure, but I am hoping you will break that habit eventually. The other day you were having a rough time after your nap and you came to the couch to sit with me. I cuddled you up in my arms and held you for a little while. Eventually you got up and I said, "Thanks for sitting with me." You turned and said, "Thanks for cuddling." Hands down one of the best mom moments of my life!

Nora, I can't wait to see what the next years of your life hold. You are so much fun and I am so very blessed to be your mother.

Happy 3 years!

Mama