Norah is FIVE!!!

And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Norah turns 5 years old today. Stop my ever-lovin' mama heart, how can this child be FIVE?? That means I've been a mama for half a decade already and sweet mercy time just can't be going that fast. 

The first time I read her "Oh the Places You'll Go" I cried like a baby. She was only 3 or so and I was pregnant, so I blame the hormones. But the book totally spoke to me about the potential in this little girl. She is amazing. And here are some things you need to know about her. 

1. She can read! It's a new accomplishment and one that all of us Formans are pretty stoked about. But this little newly five year old sat down a few weeks ago and read The Cat in the Hat to her sister. On Christmas Day, she read me a couple pages from Little House in the Big Woods. I couldn't be prouder. She has worked hard and pushed past her loathing of "sounding it out" and she's getting better everyday. 

                                         

2. She is a crafty. We once went through 500 sheets of construction paper in a week. No. Lie. She once recruited me and her siblings to make sure we wrote enough notes for every single person at our church to have one. She had an assembly line going where she would write the note, I would stuff the envelope, sis would lick and stick and lil bro would just look on adoringly. It was very important for her make sure everyone had one. We have a desk for her and it is always overflowing with papers, markers, glue, tape, scissors, stickers, glitter glue and anything that can be glued to a paper. I actually made her a craft box and included pieces of straws, rubber bands, dry beans, old beads, buttons and yarn. They have all....ALL...ended up stuck to a page somehow.

   

Those are leaves from a bush out front. She pulled them off and started asking me for glue and paper. Why not?!

That is painter's tape. A mom's best friend in my humble option. They can stick it anywhere and it will come off without leaving a mark. And if they wrap themselves like a mummy? Well, it's hilarious to watch them try to jump around the room. 

3. Thumbs Up! She will give you a thumbs up to indicate that she is on board with the gameplan, understands what you are saying or just in general likes the idea. We didn't initially know where this came from until one day at dinner when Dave gave the kids a few thumbs up, himself while eating. She is her daddy's girl.

4. She loves to talk to anyone. At the grocery store, at Walmart, in the Starbucks drive thru, the UPS delivery guy.... this girl will talk to anyone about what is important and going on in her life at the moment. When she learned my phone number, everyone in our small town got to hear it at the grocery store. They also knew all our names, ages and hair color.

5. She has the memory of an elephant. She remembers things from a year ago, 2 years ago, you name it. If I give her a few context clues about what we are discussing, she will nail it and often tell me more about the event or discussion than I remember. The funniest part about this gift is that she talks to me about things that happened months or years ago like they just happened yesterday. I confess it takes me a while to catch up. :-)

6. She cares deeply for her siblings. At her young age, this deep adoration of Emma and Hudson often comes in the form of acting like a little mama. She reminds them of things they are supposed to do or not do, brings them books, and reads with them. Multiple mornings I have gotten out of bed to find her already up making toast and setting the table for breakfast. One day we all had plates with a banana, apple, buttered toast and cups of milk. Except for me. She remembered I don't like milk so well, but I love water, so I had a cup of water (see #5!!). She is currently helping Emma potty train by sitting with her reading her books while Emma sits on the potty. She will remind Hudson to "don't eat the crayons, baby love!!!" And often asks to help me with my chores. She is a pro at washing windows, emptying trashcans, and wiping up spills. She is the best firstborn daughter I could have asked for. :-)

Giving Emma a ride on the motorized car. 

                                     

Dr. Norah needed to bandage some boo-boos. Note the antiseptic spray on the floor. 

Wagon rides at the farm. She pulled them all over the place!

Reading to the Reds while they potty train. 

Feeding "baby Emma" in Hudson's seat.

7. She is hospitable. If you have spent any amount of quality time with this girl, she has undoubtedly invited you over to our house for a meal. If you are extra special, you have probably gotten invited to spend the night...no matter that you are in your 50s and have your own family to care for. That excuse won't work with her. She will just invite the rest of your family to come along as well.

This is her best bud, Wyatt. With an underwear hat. She asked him to spend the night. You should too. Underwear hats not required.

8. She is tough. Recently, NJ (my nickname for her) got pretty sick and had to be admitted to the hospital and part of her treatment included IV fluids. The nurse explained the pinch that was coming and thankfully she was a pediatric oncology nurse before she came to our small hospital so she hit that little dehydrated vein the first shot. Norah flinched and stiffened up but she didn't scream or cry or jerk at all. She took it like a champ. She falls down and draws blood and just jumps up saying "I'M OK!!!" She flips, falls and crashes, but she's always ok.

That would be NJ vs. concrete porch. Tough kid.

9. She is adventurous. One of her favorite memories is going exploring with her dad in a culvert by our local Starbucks. They ventured down in there together, walked the whole length of the thing, popping out the other side and trucking up a hill to Home Depot. They explored every single pre-fab building in the Home Depot parking lot. She is always wanting to explore, adventure and go to places undiscovered. She works hard to climb to the highest points of things and isn't afraid of taking the risk of falling.

Rock Climbing

Climbing the brush pile at the new house. Dave is in the pic for scale. It's a huge pile.

More brush pile madness. Mama anxieties were a lil high on this one. :-)

                               
                        So this was all her idea. Hilarious. If it doesn't play click HERE.


10. She is sensitive. On the same hospital visit mentioned above, she had her IV in one hand and a BP cuff going on the other arm. She was crying a little because the cuff was pretty tight, and then kept crying after it was over and when I asked why she was so upset, she whimpered while holding up both her arms straight in front of her.... "mooooooom, I can't even wipe my own tears!!" I jumped in her bed as fast as a mama ever has, wiped those tears and held that baby. She easily misses friends, even the brand new ones that she has known for a whopping 30 minute park interaction and if you leave without a hug, there will be lots of tears.

This is a boy we met and played with at the park for 30 minutes. Now, 2 months later, she still wonders how he is and "misses" him.

My dearest girl, you are a force to be reckoned with. I say this not because you are angry or fierce or with any negative connotation at all. I say it because you have spent your life being a light to those around you. Did you know your name means "light?" Before your dad and I even considered having kids, I knew if we had a girl, her name would be Norah. Little did I know you would fit it's meaning so perfectly. You naturally exude joy, love, and the thrill of learning more and more about yourself, others and the world. Your heart is full to bursting with love, concern and excitement for those around you. You seek to help people in anyway you can. And most of the time you do it joyfully. Never lose that desire, it will serve you well. You live life wide open, all day, every day. My prayer is that I can teach you to harness those things and use them to benefit and serve those around you and that you never lose these heart cries. People are precious to us because they are precious to God, right kiddo? Keep painting, coloring, glueing, making presents and impressing me with your ability to affix anything anywhere. Your dad and I promise to invest in as much construction paper as you need. You made me a mama. And I am so blessed that God entrusted you to us for this season. I love your face.