The Name.

I laugh now at the HOURS Emily, Phillip and I spent looking up, testing out, and ranking different baby names.  I'm talking HOURS on END.  Any free time I had, I was searching - the meaning, the popularity, the bully potential, and so on.  X Factor evenings turned into "name this bump" soirees.  It was some serious focus group, I tell ya (thanks GEM and PHILLIP)!  But now that our baby girl is here, it all seems so SILLY!  If there was a way we could have seen her sweet wee face before delivery, only ONE NAME would stand out - HERS!!!!  Eleanor Douglas Parkinson. 

Let's start with her middle name.  We wanted her middle name to have significance and it didn't take us long to select the right name for the job!  Douglas is my Daddy's name (yes, I STILL CALL HIM DADDY and yes, that IS an indication of how incredibly close we are).  I'm tearing up as I write this because I love him SO MUCH.  SO, SO MUCH.  He is someone who has always been there for me - not just while I was growing up, but while Nory was growing in my belly!  FOR REAL - my Daddy became a real pregnancy guru in the last 9 months - sending me interesting articles to read, listening to my worries, and writing or calling to get appointment updates.  But not just that.  He is a man with a BIG HEART.  Someone you can count on.  Someone who is caring and thoughtful, funny and smart.  And when I hear his name, "Douglas", I think of all these qualities.  Daddy - we wanted to honour you by giving Nory a middle name of someone EXTRA SPECIAL!  That person is YOU!  We love you so much!!!  (Less Sappy Side Note/Interesting Fact:  Douglas is one of the only names that began as a "girl's name" and transitioned into a "boy's name"!)

Alright - onto the first name!  Eleanor.  Oh, sweet and timeless Eleanor.  Her name means "bright, shining one" which is especially fitting as I was wheeled into and out of the operating room with rays of sunshine beaming through the window.  She was born on the sunniest of days, weather-wise and "this is the best day of our lives"-wise :)  The nickname "Nory" was chosen by her proud Daddy.  Good pick, DADDY!  You turned one of my favourite names into something even MORE cute and charming.

Oh NORY DOUGLAS - we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!  Your name is beautiful - just like YOU!

XOXO