Happy 4th Birthday, Norah!

Happy fourth birthday, precious girl!

According to Dr. Ransom, you are in the 50th percentile for weight and height.

You have a beautiful smile and a definite opinion in every variable of your daily dress (from your hairstyle, down to the shoes and socks you are wearing!)

Pink is still your absolute favorite color. You also love ballerinas, princesses, singing, and dancing (especially in front of an audience with "real music")

Your favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, and especially "Eggy Pie" (translation: Quiche), which you requested for your birthday dinner this year. You are often skeptical about what Mommy cooks (even when you've had it and liked it a dozen times before), but you always try it and love everything. You love green beans and milk. You also love raw carrots, celery, and broccoli (but can't stand to eat them if they've been cooked). You often compliment my cooking (especially if you complain about it prior to tasting it, in which case you almost always apologize, unprompted).

You still love books and the ultimate punishment your father and I can offer you (even more revered than a spanking) is to deprive you of your bedtime stories. You have passed this love of literature on to your brother, and can often be found "reading" to him in his bed.

Eli adores you, and most of the time you are a wonderful big sister to him. You reach his drink from the "high" shelf in the refrigerator for him and play together (usually trains or trucks, because you are extremely concerned that "little boys should not play with dolls/princesses/dress up clothes/etc") every day.

You love to hear stories from the Bible, and to memorize scripture (you currently know over 60 Bible verses), especially if it is put to music. (And often times when it isn't, you make up your own tunes to help you remember, and sing them the same way, every time...I have to admit, you've taught me a few verses with your catchy ditties!)

At least one person considers you her "greatest prayer warrior", as you never failed to pray for her throughout her chemo treatments. You are extremely good about noticing the needs and hurts of others and remembering them in prayer. You are such an encouragement and inspiration to me in that regard.

You never meet a stranger, and if someone looks lonely, you can't stand not to strike up a conversation with them, usually leaving them smiling and grateful. (Just last week in Target you saw an elderly man sitting alone, probably waiting for his ride to return from shopping. You walked right up to him and started chatting with him as if you were old friends.)

You have a natural gift of encouraging others. I pray that God will grow this gift in you, and that you will allow Him to use it throughout your life to bless everyone around you, just as you do today.

Sweet Norah, has it really been four years since we brought you home from the hospital? Daddy and I never doubted for a second how much we would always love you, even though we hardly knew you then. Four years later, you still hold our hearts in the palm of your hands. Happy birthday, sweet girl. We love you and are so proud of the little lady you are becoming!