Today is my youngest daughter’s third birthday. For her special day I thought I’d post a few photos I took of her this week.

Happy Birthday Nora!

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Here are some photos that I took last Sunday before we left North Carolina to head home. I love the softness of the colors and the cute expressions on the kids faces.

This week at I ♡ Faces the theme was self portrait–no tripods and no timers. I had to be holding the camera. I know some people are really good at self portraits (Like Lotus ) but it was a real challenge for me. I thought I’d post some of my out-takes. I can’t believe I am posting these

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We spent the last week in North Carolina. I was loving all the Spring weather and the flowering trees!

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Emma decided that today was the day she was going to learn to ride her bike. That was pretty much all it took. She just had to decide she was ready, and I knew that she would be able to do it.

I showed her how to get one pedal at the top of the crank. Then to put her foot on the upper pedal and push off while she got her other foot on the pedal. She started working on that. She did it over and over until she started getting a pedal stroke or two. She worked really hard on it. Her shins were getting a bit beat up from the pedals. The bike she is riding is too small for her, and not meant to be ridden without training wheels. It doesn’t have brakes, and the pedals turn when the wheels are turning. When she gets going the pedals keep turning an hit her in the shins. She stopped and took a break and rode her scooter for a bit.

A few minutes later I looked out the window and she was riding her bike again. Before long she was putting four and five pedal strokes together. She was so proud of herself. All she had to do was get a little taste of it, and then she worked really hard, over and over until she got it.

By the end of the day she was flying up and down the driveway. She was beaming because she was so proud of herself. I was proud of her for working so hard and accomplishing the goal she set for herself. Way to go Emma!

Nora has a special bond with my dad. From the time she could speak she called him “Bampa”. She just adores him, and he adores her. He loves to tease her. She in turn has picked up on the habit, and now she loves to tease him back. But her little pet name for him has disappeared. Now she has moved on and usually calls him Grandpa. Once in a while a cute little “Bampa” still slips out, but for the most part he is now Grandpa.

Another cute word she says is “Sanks” when she is trying to say thanks. From the time she could first talk she was always very polite. She always said please and thank you. It wasn’t something we tried to teach her. She just did it on her own. But she has the cutest way of saying “sanks”. She is just so animated. But already, I am noticing more and more that “sanks” is being replaced with thanks.

It all just reminds me how fast the time goes and how special this time with my children is. I can’t believe that Emma is already seven and that my baby is 2 1/2. I don’t know where the time has gone. But for now, I know that I am enjoying this time with my kids and I am savoring every little Nora-ism while I can!