A Few Birthday Pics

Miss Nora had a great third birthday party! She audibly gasped when she saw her cake, and just loved having so many people come celebrate with her!

Her Daddy told her how we would light candles and sing to her the "Happy Birthday" song, and we practiced it a few times so she'd get it. So when the family and friends assembled and we lit the candles, out her arms went and she just enjoyed it so much!

She blew them out and then quietly turned to me and said "Again please, Mommy!"

So I lit the candles and everyone sang another time.

And she blew out the candles. Again...

And then she turned to me and said "More please!"

So we all belted out "Happy Birthday Dear Nora!" with lit candles one more time, and I said, "OK, well that's three times for three years" and we were allowed to move on!

Uncle John and Aunt Jill were there, and they gave Nora a bunch of furniture for her play house, which added to a kitchen Bestema had gotten her. It's amazing to me how she loves playing "pretend" stuff with dollhouses and pixie costumes now, where a month ago you couldn't have gotten her to do either!

Many people brought her great presents -- Aunt Judy and Uncle Jeff gave her the bulk of their railroad that goes with Nora's Thomas & Friends wooden railway, so now she could probably build a railroad around the house; and Oma and Opa brought her a bunch of presents from her week with them in San Diego!

Brian and Bestema and I all went in on this playhouse I got on Craigslist. I bought it from a gal whose daughter is growing up and too big for it. I ordered new decals for the burners on the stove from eBay and a new faucet from Little Tikes, and a good washdown it was good as new.

Nora was so stunned she wasn't even sure it was hers! But within a few minutes she went in to play and didn't come out for a long time.

At first she wasn't inviting any adults in. She left us all outside, but with time she let Erik in (he's 14.9, so I guess legally still a kid, if not physically.


But we all enjoyed watching her play with her new toy, and she still, three days later, is having the time of her life in her new toy/house!